On September 14 largest joint international exercise of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) Rapid Trident 2018 concluded at Yavoriv Training Area in Lviv oblast. Lithuania was represented at the exercise by military instructors conducting the Military Mission in Ukraine and by staff officers and NCOs of the trilateral Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian Great Hetman Konstantinas Ostrogiškis of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Brigade.
The exercise was arranged to strengthen military cooperation of Ukraine, NATO, and partner nations, increase interoperability of their armed forces, to ensure Ukraine's defence reform, and to consolidate NATO standards and procedures being introduced in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"Exercise Rapid Trident 2018 ha demonstrated the will and the ability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to act shoulder to shoulder with allies in line with NATO standards and procedures. This year Ukrainians have carried out the majority of exercise organisation and execution processes on their own and consolidated NATO standards successfully," LITPOLUKRBRIG Chief of Staff Lt Col Eligijus Senulis (Lithuanian Armed Forces) said after having taken part in Rapid Trident for the second consecutive year.
The Lithuanian officer also underscored that the war in eastern Ukraine remains to be the biggest drawback to the Ukrainian military reform and interoperability with allies. According to Lt Col Eligijus Senulis, staff of the 54th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine deployed for exercise straight from Donbass.
Lithuanian military instructors and LITPOLUKRBRIG staff officers and NCOs, along with U.S., Canadian, British and Polish allies, observed Exercise Rapid Trident 2018 and advised members of the 54th Mechanised Infantry Brigade Battalion Battle Group on the best ways of applying NATO standards to completion of tasks.
This year Rapid Trident 2018 ran on September 3-14, involved 2270 soldiers from 14 NATO allies and partner nations, and used JCATS (Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation System) and MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System).
Rapid Trident is and exercise organised by U.S. EUCOM in Ukraine to develop and strengthen international military cooperation of the U.S., NATO, and Partnership for Peace nations, interoperability of NATO and partner nations' militaries, to contribute to a stronger regional stability and security. Rapid Trident has been held in Ukraine since 2018.
Lithuania has been supporting Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity, as well as its European and Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations, since the start of the Russian aggression. Cooperation with Ukraine is among Lithuania's top foreign and security policy priorities.
Photo credits: Major Kostas Petrovas
