Bridge Chat

Video by Courtesy

Russian and Belarus Inspectors at Exercise Anakonda 16 plus highlights

Natochannel

June 15, 2016 | 5:33

GV: Inspectors from Russia and Belarus mingling on exercise ground, by military vehicles, among Polish and American troops.
Synopsis:
Four inspectors–three from Belarus and one guest inspector from Russia—visited Exercise Anakonda 16 to observe and make inquiries about this Polish-led exercise.
Anakonda 16, which started on June 7 and will end on June 17, takes place across Poland and involves 31,000 troops from 24 NATO allies and partners.
Throughout the exercise there are scheduled days for international observers, but the team of Belarusians and one Russian conducted its own separate inspection of the Exercise, using the Vienna Document.

It's an example of NATO members fulfilling their obligations; and of Russia benefiting from Allies’ full compliance with their international obligations.

The Vienna Document promotes transparency and reduces the risk of unintentional conflict.

01:20-02:36

GV: International observers from various nations watch exercise activity on training ground.

Synopsis:

A day earlier, on June 14, a broader observers day took place. Thirty different nations including NATO allies and partners attended, as well as Japan, Belarus and Brazil.

The defence attachés who were invited witnessed an hour-long tactical display in a training area in Wedrzyn in Poland. It included around 600 troops from both 173rd Airborne Brigade, US Army and 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment from the British Army. In the simulated attack, they stormed a town, clearing buildings with air support up above. The observers looked on from a high vantage point, with commentary from the Polish Armed Forces.

02:36—2:49

SOUNDBITE – Lieutenant General Marek Tomaszycki,
Operational Commander, Polish Armed Forces

“I think the most important message given during the exercise is that the NATO countries and the partners of the NATO organisation are ready to support every country, which is necessary to support.”

02.49 – 03.21

SOUNDBITE – Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, Commanding General, United States Army Europe

“The NATO Summit in Wales, all 28 Nations agreed that we needed to improve responsiveness, interoperability, so the readiness action plan, of course was created. So Poland has hosted this exercise, they took their national defence exercise and offered it to other nations to join, everything in accordance with NATO standards and really, answering the call of the alliance to improve responsiveness and interoperability.”

03:21- 03:43

GV—Paratroopers jumping from plane over Poland

Synopsis:

This year’s exercise is testing the ability, readiness and interoperability of the Polish Armed Forces with allies and Partners while conducting the joint defensive operation on a large scale. It started with a joint parajump. Paratroopers from Poland, the US and the UK jumped from a variety of NATO aircraft onto a drop zone in Poland alongside equipment.

03:43—04:08

GV—Polish Surface-to-air missiles firing into Baltic Sea

Synopsis:

Meanwhile, the Polish Army conducted live fire training on the north coast of Poland near Ustka, using SA-6 “Gainful” mobile surface-to-air missile systems.

Troops operating the system were from 15th Air Defence Regiment based in Goldap, Poland.

The missile system is a low to medium level air defence system designed to protect ground forces from air attack.

04:08 – 05:29

GV—US and Polish troops engaging in energetic and graphic triage activities

Synopsis:

Anakonda MASCAL is a medical evacuation exercise that took place as part of Anakonda 2016.

Troops from Polish Army - 2 Mechanised Infantry Battalion and US Army - 1 Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division Raider Brigade conduct the simulated training near Miroslawiec Air Base in Poland.

A Polish and US Army combat vehicle convoy is hit by simulated incoming artillery and fifty troops are injured. The exercise tests the troops ability to follow the correct drills and procedures in the mass casualty situation including evacuating the most severe casualties first.