17.06.2021.
Multinational Exercise "Platinum Wolf 2021" - Distinguished Visitors Day
14:00 Stefanović and Wallace give positive assessment of “Platinum Wolf“
After the demonstration conducted as part of the Distinguished Visitors Day for the multinational exercise "Platinum Wolf 2021", Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, pointed out that this exercise was a great opportunity to see the coordination of partner armies.
He thanked the UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, the ambassadors of the partner countries and senior military personnel for attending the Distinguished Visitors Day, and soldiers from ten countries for participating in this important activity.– This exercise is being conducted after a long break due to Covid-19, but it is a great opportunity for us to see the competence, coordination and successful collaboration between our partners and our armed forces. This is an excellent preparation for all multinational peacekeeping operations that we participate in and those in which we will participate in the future with these partner countries - Minister Stefanović said.
He added that our and foreign generals had given nothing but positive assessment of the cooperation and coordination demonstrated over the previous two weeks of the "Platinum Wolf" exercise.
– People got to know each other, and they had the opportunity to get to know the cultural and geographical features of our region. It is important for us that in the future they can rely on each in difficult circumstances in one of the peacekeeping missions where they will participate together - Minister Stefanović said.According to Stefanović, the soldiers’ dedication, competence and coordination today was such that it was impossible to tell which country they come from.
– We will continue practicing and conducting exercises and, of course, strengthening our bilateral cooperation with these countries, because it is important that our military acquires new knowledge, new skills and make progress through joint work and joint training - Stefanović said.
The UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, recalled the joint fight of Serbian and British soldiers against the Nazis in the Second World War.– After eighty years, we stand together, we train together in making peace around the world, responding to realistic situations that are encountered in conflicts. We are very happy that we have contributed to this exercise and we are very pleased that solutions are being found at the international and multinational levels and that we have cooperated with our Serbian friends. We started our close cooperation 80 years ago and I hope it continues over the next 80 years. We have a lot of work to do together. The world is now unstable and very soon Serbian and British soldiers will jointly participate in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. I am looking forward to their departure there - said Minister Wallace.
A total of 524 members of the Serbian Armed Forces and participants from 10 partner countries - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, the United States, France and the United Kingdom are participating in this year's exercise, which is conducted from 3 to 18 June.This year, members of the French and Greek armed forces are participating in the "Platinum Wolf" for the first time, and alongside 259 members of the Serbian Armed Forces, the British contingent is the most numerous, with 69 participants.
12.30 Minister Stefanović and Defence Secretary Wallace arrive at “South“ base
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, and the UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace have just arrived at the "South" base near Bujanovac, where the Distinguished Visitors Day for the multinational exercise "Platinum Wolf 2021" will soon begin.
Defence Secretary Wallace is the first UK Secretary of State for Defence to visit the Republic of Serbia.
A total of 524 members of the Serbian Armed Forces and participants from 10 partner countries - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, the United States, France and the United Kingdom are participating in this year's exercise, which is conducted from 3 to 18 June.
This year, members of the French and Greek armed forces are participating in the "Platinum Wolf" for the first time, and alongside 259 members of the Serbian Armed Forces, the British contingent is the most numerous, with 69 participants.The Distinguished Visitors Day is the crown of a two-week joint training of members of the armed forces of 10 countries, which ends with the tactical exercise "Peacekeeping Operation". It is a demonstration of tactics, techniques and procedures with non-lethal weapons that are used in multinational operations.
The exercise, which began on 3 June, aims to improve interoperability and mutual understanding among members of the armed forces of partner countries at the tactical level, while conducting a multinational peace support operation.
Spectators at the "Borovec" range and the "South" base have the opportunity to watch multinational units conduct tactical scenario consisting of 12 segments - convoy, blockade with "HMMWV" and "Lazar" combat vehicles, securing the base and infantry patrols, helicopter landing, incursion into an inhabited place, terrorist vehicle surprise raid, arresting a terrorist, conducting forensic procedures and medical evacuation.
The exercise is traditionally organized by 4th Army Brigade in collaboration with the Multinational Operations Training Centre.
The Distinguished Visitors Day is attended by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Petar Cvetković, the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces senior officers, and representatives of the military-diplomatic corps.
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