MOSCOW, November 9. /TASS/. The military exercises of the "coalition of the willing" are effectively creating an intermediate, frontline bridgehead for the buildup of forces and the deployment of a multinational contingent to Ukraine, as well as for the nuclearization of Russia’s border areas, Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), told TASS.
"An intermediate, frontline bridgehead is being formed on Polish territory to amass forces and resources, and to improve the coordination of military logistics, with the ultimate goal of deploying a multinational contingent on territory controlled by the Kiev regime. Under the direction of Paris and London, a multinational force, drawn primarily from Eastern European nations, is being formed to establish a NATO military presence in Ukraine through these proxy instruments," the expert said.
According to Stepanov, the participation of British fighter jets in these maneuvers is an essential component of projecting military threats. F-35, Rafale, and Eurofighter aircraft are capable of carrying both precision-guided munitions and various types of nuclear weapons. "France and Britain are the primary drivers of regional nuclear anarchy and the proliferation of nuclear weapons, contributing to the nuclearization of Russia’s border areas," Stepanov noted. The Koalicja 2026 exercise will take place in Poland from November 9 to 22, involving 2,800 military personnel from 11 countries. The maneuvers will be conducted under the auspices of the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U), established under the command of the United Kingdom and France as part of the Coalition of the Willing. According to The Guardian, France will contribute 1,500 troops, while Britain announced that London would send 300 military personnel, as well as Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets and a Voyager strategic tanker aircraft.
The Coalition of the Willing, led by the UK and France, is working on security guarantees for Ukraine, which include the potential deployment of military contingents following the conclusion of the conflict. Russia opposes the presence of military personnel from NATO member states in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously said that ensuring Ukraine's security through "foreign military intervention in any part of Ukrainian territory" would be unacceptable to Moscow.