The Strategist

Saber Strike to Start Today



06/01/2015 - 15:23



Military exercise Saber Strike 2015 are starting on Monday in the three Baltic countries and Poland, involving about 6 thousand people. Soldiers are coming from 13 NATO member countries and partner countries of the alliance.



PVT Vilius Dziavecka
PVT Vilius Dziavecka
As reported, Saber Strike 2015 will last in the territory of the host country from 1 to 26 June.
The purpose of these international exercises organized by the US European Command is developing and improving the cooperation of allies in the planning and conducting military operations, enhancing the professionalism of the military actions and development of skills of the host country.

The exercises are also held to improve defense cooperation, civil state and municipal agencies to support the host country during the operation on its territory.

As BNS agency have been informed by the Armed Forces of Lithuania, in total, more than 3 thousand people will participate in the exercises in the country. Lithuanian soldiers and military personnel from NATO member countries and partner countries of the block will be trained within almost one month. It is the largest Allied forces since Lithuania's accession to NATO.

Exercises in Lithuania will take place June 1-19, they will consist of two parts: field exercises and exercises for command posts brigade headquarters - using computer simulators.

Saber Strike 2015 is the combined trainings of land and air forces, which will be attended by military units from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, the USA, Great Britain, Finland, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, Norway, Canada.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that soon the number of exercises and patrols on the eastern borders of NATO will be increased.

On Thursday, May 14, news agencies quoting a representative of the Lithuanian Army Mindaugas Neimontas reported that the Baltic States are asking to increase NATO's presence in their territory. He did not name any specific numbers, specifying only that all the Baltic states rely on placing teams, so that each country could have a battalion. The number of teams, as usually, is of about three thousand people.

- We will strengthen the defense of our partners in accordance with prior commitments. And we have already said that we will continue to increase the number of exercises and patrols on the eastern borders of the alliance.

Earlier, Stoltenberg said that the presence of NATO in Eastern Europe is being increased due to the "Russian aggression" in Ukraine. At the same time, NATO Secretary General said that NATO supports sanctions against Moscow, but remains open to political dialogue.

In addition, the NATO Secretary General said that NATO during the second day of the ministerial meeting in Antalya is going to discuss their biggest "gain since the Cold War," in light of the security threats for member countries to block the eastern and southern borders. Stoltenberg said that the alliance has quite strong presence in the Baltic countries.

source: bnsagency.com