Large-scale military exercises Iron Sword involving over 2,000 military personnel from ten countries are launched in Lithuania today, November 9, Russian news agency TASS reported referring to the Lithuanian Defense Ministry.
The report said the maneuvers will be held at General Silvestras Zukauskas Training Area in Pabrade and will become this year's largest, involving units of Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the United States, the Czech Republic and Georgia.
The exercise will train and evaluate interaction, coordination of actions and readiness to carry out defensive and offensive operations of combined units formed by NATO Allies, the ministry said in its statement.
Read alsoNATO boosts EU presence as Putin repeats promise to "defend" Russians abroadTo participate in the drills, the allies have deployed all-terrain vehicles, trucks and other military equipment through the Klaipeda seaport, Vilnius International Airport and a number of highways in common use. The Government of Lithuania authorized the arrival of 915 military personnel and civilians from foreign countries to participate in the drills.The exercise will last until November 20.