NATO (41)

Not a big deal. NATO has large training exercises on a regular basis. I doubt the claim this is the largest NATO air exercise in history. I am pretty sure the old NATO Reforger exercises deployed far more aircraft as well as over 120,000 ground forces in some of them.

So again, the western media doesn't do much reporting. They just tend to print what ever news release is handed them.

And it looks like the bulk of it is just the annual summer two week drill for U.S. National Guard units. Which means it was probably scheduled far in advance.

"The Air Defender 23 exercise starting next week will see 10,000 participants and 250 aircraft from 25 nations respond to a simulated attack on a NATO member country. The United States alone is sending 2,000 U.S. Air National Guard personnel and about 100 aircraft to take part in the June 12-23 training maneuvers."