Global Research

Interfax-Ukraine
March 27, 2015

Right Sector negotiates joining Ukrainian Army as independent division under Yarosh command

The volunteer battalion Right Sector is ready to join the Ukrainian Army as a separate division under the command of Right Sector leader Dmytro Yarosh.

“We can only agree on ‘legalization’ in one situation: if the volunteer Ukrainian corps remains a whole structure and if we continue reporting directly to our leader Dmytro Yarosh,” Right Sector press officer Artem Skoropadsky told reporters on Friday.

“We want everything to stay as it is now: we are now cooperating with the Defense Ministry and the Ukrainian Security Service,” Skoropadsky said…

Interfax-Ukraine
March 27, 2015

National Guard, U.S. military exercises in Lviv region mean integration in the world’s biggest defense structure – Poroshenko

A large-scale international military exercise involving U.S. instructors will be conducted on the Yavoriv training area in the Lviv region of Ukraine in April, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

“The large-scale international military exercise involving U.S. instructors, which will begin on the Yavoriv training area in April, will be an important stage. It means integration in the world’s largest defense structure,” Poroshenko said at a graduation ceremony conducted in the National Academy of the Ukrainian National Guard in Kharkiv on Thursday…

Xinhua News Agency
March 27, 2015

Czech people hold protest against U.S. army convoy

PRAGUE: A protest here on Thursday against U.S. soldiers’ scheduled crossing of the Czech territory marks the first public protest against the U.S. convoy that is to arrive in the Czech Republic from Poland on March 29.

The protesters said they did not like it that the U.S. soldiers had decided to go for a demonstrative ride in a convoy from a military exercise in the Baltics to their home base in Vilseck, Bavaria. They also opposed the soldiers spending the night of March 29 in the Vyskov barracks in the south Moravian region of the country.

The protest organizers said it was cynical to allow foreign troops to cross Czech territory in a year when they are marking the 70th anniversary of their country’s liberation and the end of World War II, especially given the aggravated geopolitical situation which calls for hostilities to be negotiated. This action only escalates the tension, they said…

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Transformation
March 19, 2015

Deputy Commander visits Italy’s Joint Operational Command in preparation for large NATO Exercise

General Mirco Zuliani recently visited the Italian Joint Operational Command, responsible for organising Italy’s part of the Trident Juncture (TRJE) 2015 exercise.

TRJE15 is NATO’s first live exercise in a decade, since before the NATO operation in Afghanistan started, and will also take place in Portugal and Spain. Most of the ‘Air Scenario’ will be exercised in Italy.

During the exercise, the Italian JFACC (Joint Force Air Component command) will be certified as Air Component Command, in light of the ‘NATO Response Force’ (NRF) rotation for 2016. The NRF is a highly ready and technologically advanced multinational force made up of land, air, maritime and Special Operations Forces components that the Alliance can deploy quickly, wherever needed. In addition to its operational role, the NRF is used to increase cooperation in education and training, better use of technology or, like in this case, increased exercises…

U.S. Army Europe
March 24, 2015

Army Europe expands Operation Atlantic Resolve training to Romania, Bulgaria
By Staff Sgt. Opal Vaughn (The 173rd Airborne Brigade)

SMARDAN, Romania: Paratroopers, from U.S. Army Europe’s 173rd Airborne Brigade, and Soldiers, from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, conducted an early-entry training exercise together with Romanian allies, March 24, to mark the expansion of Operation Atlantic Resolve, or OAR, into Romania and Bulgaria.

“The Smardan [Romania] portion of [Exercise] Saber Junction is an early entry exercise,” said Capt. Patrick Leen, a plans officer assigned to 173rd Airborne Brigade. “It takes place in advance of the majority of the events [in Germany].”

The early-entry portion in Smardan, also phase 1 of Exercise Saber Junction, began with an airborne operation of approximately 200 paratroopers and heavy equipment such as 105mm Howitzer artillery from the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Once on the ground, the paratroopers linked up with allies from the Romanian army’s 280th Brigade and assaulted enemy positions while supported by artillery fire…

ACTMedia
March 25, 2015

Romanian military doctors will start providing triage services for the wounded in the Ukraine conflict

Defence Minister Mircea Dusa said Tuesday at the Smardan firing range of Galati County that Romanian military doctors on Wednesday will start providing triage services for the wounded in the Ukraine conflict who will then be treated in Romanian military hospitals.

“Tomorrow, a team of military doctors will leave for Kiev to provide triage services for the wounded troops and the injured that will be treated in Romanian military hospitals. For the time being, I only mean military hospitals because we have been entrusted with the mission to provide such humanitarian aid to Ukraine. As our doctors provide triage for the wounded and the injured, we will also provide transportation services using a military aircraft,” said Dusa.

Dusa on Tuesday met Romanian and American troops taking part at the Smardan firing range in the “Early Entry” stage of the Sabre Junction 15 multinational defence exercise.

ACTMedia
March 25, 2015

1,000 US soldiers on ground ops in Eastern Europe

More than 1,000 U.S. troops were moving across Eastern Europe on Tuesday on several training exercises, the latest effort to reassure allied nations…a Pentagon official said. About 200 paratroopers with the Army’s Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade jumped into the Smarden training area in Romania along with heavy artillery …(Article accessible to subscribers only)

Polish Radio
March 25, 2015

Security inconsistincies

Experts, including former US security advisor Zbigniew Brzeziński, and Polish Defence Minister Tomasz Simoniak, have contradicting views of the future of Polish national security.

“Poland should be armed, buy military equipment, modernize and increase its army,” Zbigniew Brzeziński told an interview with Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.

“Poles must rely on each other to be able to defend themselves as long as possible,” said Brzeziński, the former National security adviser under the 39th US President, Jimmy Carter.

The Polish-born Brzeziński – who was one of the top international-relations experts during, and after, the Vietnam War – said that in the case of an attack on Poland, NATO could have its hands tied, and take some time to respond.

This is because Greece is part of NATO, and since it has close ties with Russia, the Southern EU country could veto a military intervention, Brzeziński said…

Stars and Stripes
March 24, 2015

Atlantic Resolve mission pushes beyond Baltics into Romania
By John Vandiver

SMARDAN TRAINING AREA, Romania: Almost 200 U.S. paratroops dropped into Romania on Tuesday and were joined by a ground force of cavalrymen, marking the official expansion into southeastern Europe of a campaign to reassure allies worried about Russia’s intentions.

For almost a year now, U.S. troops have maintained a constant presence in the Baltic states and Poland…Now, Operation Atlantic Resolve is moving south, with a series of exercises slated to take place in Romania, Bulgaria — another NATO ally — and the Republic of Georgia, an aspiring NATO member.

“Today marks the beginning of Atlantic Response South,” said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe, as soldiers with the Vicenza, Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade parachuted onto the training grounds in eastern Romania…

10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command
March 22, 2015

Army Europe Air Defense unit begins combined missile defense exercise in Poland

SOCHACZEW, Poland: American Soldiers from US Army Europe and Polish airmen kicked off their combined missile defense exercise during a short ceremony on March 21 outside of Warsaw, Poland.

10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command sent Delta Battery, a unit of their 5-7 Air Defense Artillery Regiment, to train with their Polish air defense partners in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The goal of the training exercise is to certify the Delta battery Soldiers on their Patriot ground-to-air missile systems, while coordinating the emplacement of the American and Polish air defense equipment to provide mutual air defense coverage in the area.

The battery was able to plan and execute their 1200 km convoy from U.S. Army Garrison Rhineland-Pfalz in Kaiserslautern, Germany, in a matter of days due to close cooperation with their Polish counterparts. “From the planning aspect, they had their objectives and we had our objectives, and we worked to nest them both together which was great,” said Capt. Jason Bryant, Delta Battery commander…

U.S. Air Forces in Europe
U.S. Air Force Africa
March 23, 2015

A-10s train at RAF Lakenheath
By Airman 1st Class Erin R. Babis
48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England: A theater security package comprised of A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and Airmen from the 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., arrived at the Liberty Wing March 13 to train with NATO allies in new environments and cultures.

“Working with our NATO allies helps strengthen the bonds between us, and demonstrates the U.S. commitment to them,” said Senior Master Sgt. Nathan Kerr, TSP maintenance superintendent.

The pilots and maintenance crews from the 355th FW took part in unique training opportunities, and shared their training and knowledge with Liberty Airmen during their five-day visit.

Maj. Ben Rudolphi, TSP detachment commander, explained that the pilots trained on several different missions, to include: low altitude tactical navigation, dissimilar air combat maneuvering, helicopter escort, basic surface attack and U.K. joint terminal attack controller coordination.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
March 24, 2015

JFC Brunssum Commander visits NATO forces in Latvia

BRUNSSUM, The Netherlands: The Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum, General Hans-Lothar Domrőse, was on hand to commemorate the opening of Operation Summer Shield in Latvia on Sunday, 22 March 2015. At the same time, Domrőse met up with U.S. soldiers taking part in Dragoon Ride.

At the Adazi Military Base, the Commander visited and thanked the troops participating in Operation Summer Shield. Summer Shield is a Latvian-led exercise which includes military personnel from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, Lithuania and Luxembourg. The exercise is being held in two phases. The first phase includes cross training and live fire exercises while the second phase includes defensive operations with integration of indirect fire and close air support…

U.S. Air Forces in Europe
U.S. Air Force Africa
March 23, 2015

Dacian Warhawk members host Media, DV day
By Staff Sgt. Armando A. Schwier-Morales
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

CAMPIA TURZII, Romania: U.S. and Romanian Airmen participating in the Dacian Warhawk training event hosted more than 20 local and national media agencies and distinguished personnel from Romania, March 22 at Campia Turzii.

The two air forces showcased the what they learned during the two-week training mission designed to increase the interoperability between U.S. and Romanian air forces, to the media members and distinguished visitors.

While there, media members were able to witness static displays of the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon and MiG-21 Lancer, as well as aerial formations of the aircraft flying side-by-side. The media representatives were also afforded the opportunity to talk to several of the pilots in addition to the Romanian Minister of Defense, Mircea Dusa.

“The close cooperation we have forged in the planning and execution of this event shows the commitment of our two NATO countries,” Lt. Col. Ryan Nudi, 52nd Fighter Wing chief of safety. “The training has been absolutely fantastic…”

U.S. Air Forces in Europe
U.S. Air Force Africa
March 20, 2015

F-16s head to Estonia for training
By 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy:- Airmen and aircraft assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing departed Aviano Air Base, Italy, March 20, 2015 to participate in bilateral training with the Estonian air force and simultaneous but unrelated training with the Finnish and Swedish air forces in their airspace.

The 510th Fighter Squadron will launch sorties from Ämari Air Base, Estonia, March 20 through April 17. Training with the Estonian air force will take place on nearby Tapa Range with Estonian Joint Terminal Attack Controllers. The focus is to maintain joint readiness while enhancing interoperability with a NATO ally, particularly in the F-16 Fighting Falcon’s Forward Air Controller (Airborne) mission. The other training event with the Finnish and Swedish air forces will focus on air-to-air tactics that also increases interoperability…

Interfax-Ukraine
March 23, 2015

U.S. House urges Obama to send weapon to Ukraine

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on Monday night asking President Obama to send lethal arms to Ukraine, media said.

Representatives endorsed the resolution in a 348 to 48 vote, and such a proposal is also likely to enjoy widespread support in the Senate.

Monday’s measure urges Obama to provide Ukraine with “lethal defensive weapon systems” that would enhance Ukraine’s ability to “defend their sovereign territory from the unprovoked and continuing aggression of the Russian Federation.”

House Speaker John Boehner described the vote as a call to action, and said Congress broadly supports more military aid…

Serbia marks another anniversary of NATO attacks

SOURCE: B92, BETA, TANJUG

BELGRADE — Serbia is on Tuesday marking the 16th anniversary since the beginning of NATO’s air war against the country, then a part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

NATO caused heavy damage to Serbia’s infrastructure, economy, schools, health institutions, media outlets, monuments of culture.

The western military alliance made the decision to attack Serbia without the approval of the UN Security Council, which represented a precedent.

The order was given to its then commander, U.S. General Wesley Clark by then NATO Secretary General Javier Solana.

A bridge in Novi Sad (Tanjug, file)

Clark later wrote in his book entitled “Modern Warfare” that the planning of the war was already under way in mid-June in 1998 and was completed in August of that year.

Serbia came under attack as the culprit for “the humanitarian catastrophe in Kosovo and the failure of negotiations in Rambouillet, Paris on the future status of the province.”

The Paris conference presented Serbia with the proposal to have foreign troops deployed in its territory, which was rejected. The decision not to accept foreign troops was confirmed by the Serbian Assembly, and on March 24, 1999 NATO launched its attacks…

The Radio Television of Serbia building in Belgrade (Tanjug, file)

19 countries took part in the operation, using ships in the Adriatic Sea, four air bases in Italy, supported by strategic operators who took off from bases in western Europe…

U.S. Department of Defense
March 23, 2015

NATO Responding to Russia’s Actions Against Ukraine
By Jim Garamone

WASHINGTON: NATO is responding to Russia…with the largest reinforcement of collective defense since the end of the Cold War, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said over the weekend in Brussels…

Russia also has troops in Moldova [that is, Transdniester] and Georgia [Abkhazia and South Ossetia], and Russian forces are working to destabilize Eastern Ukraine.

Russian Actions Spur NATO

…NATO [is making] sweeping changes. “The adaptation that is taking place now is a very big and fundamental adaptation of the NATO defense posture,” Stoltenberg said

The alliance is doubling the size of its response force, the secretary general said. Once finished, he said, the lead elements of this force will be able to move in within as little as 48 hours.

The alliance, he added, is establishing command and control units in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.

This is just a start, the secretary general said…

Xinhua News Agency
March 23, 2015

U.S. military equipment moves through Latvia

RIGA: More than 40 pieces of the U.S. military equipment, including 20 Stryker armored vehicles, are being moved through Latvia on Sunday and Monday as the United States is sending troops from Estonia to Germany in the Dragoon Ride trek, the Latvian Defense Ministry said Sunday.

Soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment, currently stationed in the Baltic states and Poland, began the Dragoon Ride trek with the Strykers and support vehicles on Saturday in Estonia.

The convoy is moving through Latvia as the U.S. troops make their way to Vilseck, Germany, concluding their participation in Operation Atlantic Resolve…

Ukrinform
March 23, 2015

Breedlove urges West to start information warfare with Russia

KYIV: The western countries, primarily the NATO member states, should engage in the informational confrontation with aggressive Russian propaganda.

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Philip Breedlove said this in Brussels on Sunday, Ukrinform reports.

“We need as a western group of nations or as an alliance to engage in this informational warfare. The way to attack the false narrative is to drag the false narrative into the light and expose it,” Breedlove said…

Ukrinform

March 21, 2015

NATO ready to consider Ukraine’s bid for membership

KYIV: NATO is ready to consider the Ukraine’s bid for membership in the alliance, if Ukraine decides to submit it.

This has been stated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels at the forum organized by the German Marshall Fund.

“It is up to Ukraine decide whether to submit the bid for NATO membership or not. Ukraine should decide that. If it submits, we will consider the application in the same way as we consider the application of any other country,” Ukrainian media telegraf.com.ua quotes him.

In 2015, the units and the individual officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will take part in 237 events of the individual partnership program [Individual Partnership Action Program] with NATO.

U.S. Department of Defense
March 19, 2015

Army Commander in Europe Details Assurance Efforts
By Jim Garamone

WASHINGTON: Thirteen months after Russia began its occupation of Crimea, the United States and its European allies must remain steadfast against the threat such actions pose, the commander of U.S. Army Europe said here this week.

Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges told the Defense Writers Group at a March 17 breakfast that the Russian action of illegally annexing Crimea from Ukraine and its continuing threat to the eastern part of Ukraine is a game-changer on the continent…

Hodges told reporters to think of Atlantic Resolve as a continuous series of exercises, with American troops operating with troops in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, demonstrating America’s commitment to the defense of these NATO allies. Later this month, Atlantic Resolve exercises will expand to include Bulgaria and, later in the year, Romania, he said…

U.S. Army
March 19, 2015

173rd Airborne Brigade paratroopers secure NATO missile-defense sites
By Sgt. A.M. LaVey

VICENZA, Italy: Paratroopers, from Company A, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, returned from NATO Operation Active Fence in Turkey, March 12.

Two weeks earlier, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, arrived in southern Turkey to relieve them.

“Operation Active Fence is the United States’ contribution to the NATO Patriot missile defense mission,” said Sgt. Ian Carlson, an intelligence analyst, with 1st Battalion. “We are the security forces tasked to guard the missile sites from outside threats.”

Operation Active Fence started in December 2012 in response to Turkey’s concerns…In response, NATO authorized the deployment of Patriot missile defense batteries. The United States, Germany and the Netherlands provided initial forces. Spain has since replaced Dutch forces.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, is the Army’s contingency response force in Europe and has the ability to rapidly deploy paratroopers with specialized parachute infantry capabilities anywhere in the U.S., European, Africa and Central areas of operations…

Interfax-Ukraine
March 19, 2015

Rada speaker signs bill allowing foreign military drills in Ukraine in 2015

The speaker of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada, Volodymyr Hroisman, has signed a bill, which was proposed by the president and backed by the parliament, to allow foreign troops into Ukraine in 2015 to take part in five multinational military exercises, the parliament announced on its website on Thursday.

It was reported that 305 Ukrainian parliamentarians voted for the bill on March 17.

Under the bill, the drills Ukraine is planning to host in 2015 include three U.S.-Ukrainian exercises, Fearless Guardian, Sea Breeze, and Saber Guardian/Rapid Trident, and two Polish-Ukrainian ones, Safe Skies and the Law and Order.

Fearless Guardian will take place in Yavoriv district, Lviv region, in the period from March to November and will bring together a maximum of 2,200 troops. Ukraine is providing up to 200 armed forces troops and up to 1,000 National Guard personnel, and the U.S. will be represented by a maximum of 1,000 servicemen…

Interfax-Ukraine
March 20, 2015

Pentagon to begin training Ukrainian forces next month

The Pentagon has said that it is moving forward with plans to train six Ukrainian National Guard companies and headquarters staff next month.

The training is scheduled to begin in late April and will focus on “internal defense capabilities,” according to Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez, who is quoted by The Hill online edition.

“This assistance is part of our ongoing efforts to help sustain Ukraine’s defense and internal security operations,” Lainez said.

A total of 300 U.S. soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vincenza, Italy, will conduct the training in western Ukraine near the border with Poland, she said…

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe
March 19, 2015

DSACEUR Discusses Training and Co-operation during Visit to Bulgaria

SOFIA, Bulgaria: NATO’s current efforts to adapt to emerging hybrid challenges from the east and south were a focus of discussions between Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) General Sir Adrian Bradshaw and the Chief of Defence Bulgarian Armed Forces, Vice Admiral Rumen Nikolov, in Sofia, Bulgaria on 17 and 18 March 2015.

During the visit, General Bradshaw also met with the Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Defence, Dimitar Kyumyurdzhiev. Main areas of discussion included ongoing enhancements to the NATO Response Force in response to hybrid threats, as well as investigating future exercise and training opportunities involving NATO and Bulgarian forces…

Stars and Stripes
March 19, 2015

US training of Ukraine forces to go forward
By Jon Harper

WASHINGTON: The U.S. military is moving forward with plans to deploy U.S. paratroopers to war-torn Ukraine to train local forces, the Pentagon said Thursday.

The training will likely begin in late April, Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren told reporters.

The mission, which was scheduled to occur this month, was delayed due to concerns that the training effort would undermine the Minsk II cease fire agreement between Kiev’s forces and Russia-backed insurgents, according to Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, the commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe.

That deal was brokered in February, but fighting has continued in eastern Ukraine.

Approximately 290 U.S. soldiers from the Army’s 173rd “Sky Soldiers” Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy, will deploy to western Ukraine to train three battalions of the Ukrainian national guard, Warren said…