Arctic Challenge Drills Not Directed Against Russia - Norwegian Air Force

© REUTERS / TT News Agency/Susanne LindholmA swiss F/A-18 Hornet takes off from Kallax Airport outside Lulea, northern Sweden, May 26, 2015, during the Arctic Challenge Exercise (ACE 2015)
A swiss F/A-18 Hornet takes off from Kallax Airport outside Lulea, northern Sweden, May 26, 2015, during the Arctic Challenge Exercise (ACE 2015) - Sputnik International
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The multinational Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015 (ACE 2015) hosted by Sweden, Norway and Finland, are not related to the Russia-NATO standoff, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Air Force told Sputnik on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Alexander Mosesov — ACE 2015 involves some 100 aircraft from the three Nordic host countries, as well as the United Sates, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands. The exercise is taking place between May 25 and June 5.

"ACE has nothing to do with Russia or the new tense of international political situation. The aim of ACE 15 is to exercise and train units, command and control in the orchestration and conduct of air operations. This exercise was planned years ago," Maj. Stian Roen said.

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Finland, Sweden and Switzerland are the only non-NATO states taking part in the exercises.

The drills come a month after the defense ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, along with the foreign minister of Iceland, published a joint op-ed in the Norwegian Aftenposten newspaper, asserting the need to expand northern military cooperation amid "Russian aggression."

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Russia has repeatedly expressed concerns over NATO's military buildup along its borders.

On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced a snap combat-readiness inspection of its air and air defense units in the country's Central Military District with some 12,000 personnel and 250 aircraft involved in the four-day exercises.

NATO ceased what it refers to as "practical cooperation" with Russia in April 2014, when the armed confrontation in Ukraine's southeast began.

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