BRUSSELS, October 2. /TASS/. NATO has invited Russian observers to monitor the upcoming Trident Juncture drills in Norway that will simulate NATO’s collective response to an armed attack against its member country, its Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference ahead of the meetings of the NATO Defense Ministers in Brussels on October 3-4.

"All members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including Russia, have been invited to send observers," Stoltenberg said.

"This is one of our biggest exercises in many years. It will include around 45,000 participants from 31 Allied countries and partners. With around 150 aircraft, 60 ships, and over 10,000 vehicles," he added. "The scenario is fictitious but realistic," the NATO chief went on to say.

"It will simulate NATO’s collective response to an armed attack against one Ally. And it will exercise our ability to reinforce our troops from Europe and across the Atlantic," he said.

"The exercise is defensive. And it is transparent," Stoltenberg stressed.

The NATO-led Trident Juncture 18 military exercise will be held in Norway in October-November. It will bring together more than 40,000 military from 31 countries, both Allied countries and NATO partners, including, in particular, Finland and Sweden. This will be NATO’s largest military exercise in the past 16 years.