A ROYAL Navy carrier has led 25 warships in a show of force as the UK joined Nato's biggest Arctic military exercise in 30 years.

A total of six Royal Navy ships and 2,000 British personnel have joined vessels and troops from 26 other countries in a drill, named Cold Response.

The exercise kicked off in Norway on Monday amid mounting tensions between Russia and the West over the invasion of Ukraine.

HMS Prince of Wales, which is currently serving as Nato's command ship, has sailed north to the Arctic to join the exercise that will include 30,000 troops, 200 aircraft, and 50 vessels.

RFA Mounts Bay alongside HMS Albion leads the UK's amphibious input to Cold Response.

HMS Prince of Wales joined the Cold Response task force shortly after air defence exercises in the North Sea alongside some of the UK’s F-35B Lightning jets from 617 Squadron, the Dambusters, last Friday.

READ MORE ON UKRAINE

Live Ukraine war updates as Putin accused of making 3 MAJOR invasion errors

Moment ‘Russians shoot dead civilian’ as he holds up his hands in Ukraine

The drill which takes place every other year will involve more than twice as many personnel as the 14,000 planned for the same exercise in 2020.

It comes as the West fears the Russian leader may use the invasion as an excuse to expand in the Arctic.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace said: "The Arctic is becoming an area of increasing military competition and the security of the region is directly linked to our national security.

"Exercise Cold Response is a demonstration of Nato's ability to both operate and compete in one of the harshest environments in the world and is a demonstration of how a multinational force would defend Europe's northern flank."

Most read in The Sun

Russia's aspirations in the Arctic were highlighted last year when Putin strengthened his military grip in the area with Su-34 bombers, Su-35 fighters and Be-200 amphibious aircraft undergoing tests for deployment.

Additionally, a few months later the Russian President set up a remote subzero military base.

It comes as…

• Russia has slapped a ban on Joe Biden and called for Alaska to become part of its territory again.
• Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted Ukraine may never join Nato in a key concession that could pave the way to peace.
• Putin's troops have taken hundreds of hospital staff and patients hostage in the besieged city of Mariupol.
• Dramatic footage shows the moment a Russian tank was blown to smithereens by Ukrainian forces.

The Nagurskoye military airbase is heaving with missiles and radar while its extended runway is ready to fly nuclear-capable strategic bombers.

Back in 2017, Moscow released the first pictures of Putin's top-secret military base on the Arctic island of Alexandra Land.

The giant complex on the northern ice cap is believed to be fully armed with missile systems and nuclear-ready fighter jets.

Read More on The Sun

A stranger parked a Range Rover on our drive for FOUR DAYS and cops did nothing

McDonald’s is bringing back popular menu item TODAY and there’s a new flavour

It is believed Putin wants to secure the frozen region's vast oil reserves.

As temperatures rise across the globe, more areas of the Arctic have been opened up to the oil and gas exploration which Russia is keen to exploit.

More info

The Ukraine Crisis Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future by the crisis.

In the unlikely event that the British Red Cross raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help them prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world.

For more information visit https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/disaster-fund

Source: Read Full Article