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"...10,000 soldiers and 250 planes are practicing together until June 23..."
On Monday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) began its biggest exercise for air forces, Air Defender 2023.
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According to official statements, the maneuver had been in the planning since 2018 and Germany is in charge of the drill with 25 NATO countries.
Around 10,000 soldiers and 250 planes are practicing together until June 23. Some of the planes are from Germany and over 100 are from the United States.
On Saturday, in northern Germany, about 300 people protested against the exercise, saying that it "underscores the rejection of negotiations with Russia and further escalates an already threatening situation."
⚡️The largest aviation exercises in NATO history - Air Defender 2023 - have started in ����Germany. They will last from June 12 to 23.
— ����Ukrainian Front (@front_ukrainian) June 12, 2023
The participation of 250 aircraft and 10,000 military personnel from 25 countries has been announced. pic.twitter.com/weBqwEg58H
According to official statements, Germany's civil aviation industry has seen major strikes in recent months, and fears cancellations as a result of the military exercise.
Despite claims from the military that no flight cancellations are to be expected, Matthias Maas, head of the German air traffic control union (GdF), said such claims are "unrealistic and have no basis in fact."
Official reports state that major airports in Germany are getting ready to have planes take off later at night if needed as a precautionary measure.
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