Sweden, which is aiming to join NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), is holding large-scale military exercises with more than twice the number of soldiers participating than usual in order to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Nordic region.
This military exercise, called ``Winter Sun'' in the local language, is held at this time every year in northern Boden, where the Swedish military base is located, and began on the 12th of this month.
Approximately 2,000 soldiers, more than twice as many as in previous years, are participating in this year's exercise, with the aim of strengthening the defense capabilities of the Nordic region in anticipation of Sweden joining NATO.
In the exercise, vehicles such as the Swedish-made infantry fighting vehicle CV90, which is also used in Ukraine, were used, and after confirming the exercise content and equipment, soldiers headed to the training range in sub-zero temperatures on the 16th. I was there.
One of the Swedish military commanders said, ``Europe is in a tense state after Russia's military invasion of Ukraine. We are working on the exercise with the determination to protect our borders.''
This military exercise will continue until the 20th of this month.
In Scandinavia, a joint military exercise with Sweden and 13 other NATO member countries is also scheduled to be held next month.