More than 700 soldiers are currently engaged in the Loyal Leda 2024 exercise in the Czech Republic, marking a pivotal follow-up to NATO’s largest military maneuver since the Cold War era, Steadfast Defender 2024. This extensive exercise, commenced in January and sequentially held in Poland and the Czech Republic, sees troops currently undergoing rigorous training in Bechyne, South Bohemia. The primary focus of this exercise is to hone the skills necessary for conducting joint collective defence operations at the corps and division level, crucial in the face of contemporary security challenges.

Jakub Simicek from the Office of the Chief of the Czech Army General Staff elaborated, stating, “The scenario is based on the response to a hypothetical aggression of an adversary against a NATO member country and the activation of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. The scenario encompasses a broad spectrum of incidents characteristic of modern hybrid warfare, including those emerging from the realms of space and cyber.”

Steadfast Defender 2024, which will see the participation of a staggering 90,000 troops from all NATO nations, including new member Sweden, unfolds over the ensuing months. The current contingent in the Czech Republic predominantly comprises soldiers from Germany and the Netherlands, with support from approximately two dozen Czech soldiers. According to Simicek, the Czech Army is primarily tasked with hosting and providing logistical support to the German-Dutch alliance soldiers throughout the exercise, encompassing their movements, facility construction, and all activities within the training regime.

Amidst escalating tensions, both NATO and the European Union are bracing for the potential of military conflict with Russia, following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, now entering its third year. U.S. General Christopher Cavoli, commander of NATO forces in Europe and head of the U.S. military in Europe, emphasized that Steadfast Defender 2024 serves as a resolute demonstration of NATO’s unity, strength, and unwavering commitment to safeguard shared values and the rules-based international order. As geopolitical complexities evolve, exercises like Loyal Leda 2024 underscore the critical imperative for collaborative defence preparedness in ensuring collective security and stability.

Article by Prague Forum