Moldovan servicemen participating in ‘Rapid Trident 2013’ multinational exercise in Ukraine

The Ukrainian-American military drills Rapid Trident 2013 started today at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center of the Ukrainian Military Academy, in Yaroviv region, Lviv Oblast. The multinational exercise is organized within the NATO Program “Partnership for Peace” and brings together over 1,300 servicemen from 19 countries.    

According to the Ministry of Defense, as many as 60 Moldovan servicemen will take part in the two-week drills.   

According to the head of the Moldovan contingent, Major Sergiu Cirimpei, the Moldovan delegation includes foot troops, an airplane, a group of parachutists and two senior military officers. All the participants are from the ‘Fulger’ battalion of special task forces and from the 22nd Battalion of the Moldovan Peacekeeping Forces.     

The main expenses for this military exercise will be covered by the American side. 

The Ukrainian military forces have provided the contingents of the participating countries with armament and military hardware. Moreover, they offered the possibility to train on the most certified military polygon in Europe - the International Peacekeeping and Security Center.  

During the field stage of the drills, servicemen will search and neutralize illicit armed units and concealed installations, will ensure the safety of the peacekeeping personnel and of the local population, will escort convoys and will conduct their military duties on stationary and mobile security checkpoints.  

The practical trainings will focus on the use of airmobile units and on the multipurpose helicopters M-8.    

The legend of the Ukrainian-American military exercise will be a territorial conflict between two imaginary countries. According to the scenario, “the bone of contention” between the two states (Fogland and Vaserland) is the territory of a disputed province that has been forcibly misappropriated by one of these countries. The servicemen of the multinational military contingent will have to settle this armed conflict and to establish a strict line of demarcation between the conflicting sides, by carrying out an air-landed operation with the help of Mi-8 versatile helicopters and air-transport aircrafts.  

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced that a record-high number of participating countries is involved in the Rapid Trident – 2013 multinational exercise. In addition to the U.S. and Ukraine, participants include: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Denmark, Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Great Britain, Romania, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Sweden and Turkey. Moldova has been participating in Rapid Trident since 2007.  

Adapted from infotag.md