United States Army Europe (USAREUR) informs on the official homepage that the largest multinational exercise held in Ukraine, Rapid Trident, will be conducted July 20-31, 2015 at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center (IPSC) in Yavoriv, Ukraine. Rapid Trident is a long-standing U.S. Army Europe-led cooperative training exercise focused on peacekeeping and stability operations. This year, 18 countries (Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Turkey and the U.S.) are taking part in the exercise with participation of approximately 1,800 personnel:
“Rapid Trident is designed to promote regional stability and security, strengthen partnership capacity, and foster trust while improving interoperability between USAREUR, the land forces of Ukraine, and other PfP and NATO partner nations,” states USAREUR.
Yavoriv, Ukraine–Exercise Rapid Trident begins | 18 nations & 1,800 personnel. http://t.co/Y9kqHshCKA pic.twitter.com/oTG9TRq1Nt
— US Mission to NATO (@USNATO) July 20, 2015
“In preparation for the field training exercise, training audiences will undergo one week of situational training exercises that focus on exercise key tasks such as countering improvised explosive devices, convoy operations and patrolling. The exercise will feature a combined, internationally staffed battalion focused on peacekeeping and stability operations,” reports USAREUR.
Don Wrenn, public affairs public affairs specialist for US Army Europe, who is at the site of the exercises underlines that Rapid Trident isn’t directly connected with the political situation:
“Multinational exercises have been conducted in Ukraine since 1995, however it is safe to say that this is the largest multinational exercise held in Ukraine to date. It is not anything to do with the political situation. This exercise was planned ahead of time. Countries were notified that it would occur and we can’t directly connect with the situation going on. Rapid Trident has been going for years in Ukraine,” Don Wrenn says.
