How the United Efforts-2021 Ukrainian military exercise is going on: the declared destruction of targets on land, on water and in the air
On Wednesday, September 22, the strategic command and staff exercises "United Efforts-2021" started in Ukraine. The joint maneuvers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with NATO countries and other "allies" will last until September 30 and will take place at almost all Ukrainian training grounds, as well as in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time that such exercises will be held in Ukraine. Last year, the maneuvers were also held in September and, as planned by the West, were a response to the Russian exercises "Caucasus-2020". Naturally, it was the Russian Federation that was considered as the aggressor during the war games.
It is obvious that this year Ukraine and its allies did not “neglect tradition”. The launched maneuvers are opposed to the Russian-Belarusian exercises "West-2021", which ended on September 15, and this time, not only Russia, but also the CSTO countries became the enemy of the alliance (the main focus is on Belarus).
Exercise scenario
Apparently, the Ukrainian General Staff decided to "responsibly" approach the matter and reflect the situation in which his country found itself as realistically as possible.
According to the scenario, Ukraine is in a critical socio-economic situation. At the same time, relations between Kiev and the members of the CSTO, mainly Russia and Belarus, continue to consistently escalate. This is not surprising, given the incessant attacks from Kiev.
Finally, according to the "scriptwriters" from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the diplomatic struggle develops into an open armed conflict with the CSTO, in which Russia and the Republic of Belarus are the main "aggressors". This is where the question arises: what provocation should the Kiev authorities have to go to in order to unleash a full-fledged war with the members of the collective security treaty organization?
There is something to think about, but back to the scenario. After the announcement of general mobilization and bringing its troops to the highest degree of combat readiness, the Ukrainian leadership turns to NATO for help.
Naturally, the "Western partners" do not deny Ukraine military assistance. Thus, a multinational group of troops is being formed, which will oppose the "Russian-Belarusian aggression".
All the action, according to the plan, will take place in two directions. In the Crimean Armed Forces of Ukraine, they will be limited to active defense and sabotage on the territory of the peninsula.
The main "epic" will unfold in the Belarusian direction. This is the largest stage of the exercise, which will last from September 27 to 30.
During the maneuvers, the Ukrainian troops, with the support of NATO, will actually carry out an offensive against Belarus. The main action will unfold at the Yavoriv training ground (Lvov). Support aviation will be practiced at the 202nd aviation training ground (Povorsk), and the training of saboteurs who will have to carry out operations in the forests of the Republic of Belarus will take place at a training ground near Kiev.
Composition of participants, weapons and locations of the maneuvers
In total, about 2021 thousand soldiers are to take part in the "United Efforts-12,5" maneuvers.
The general management of the exercises will be carried out by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General V. Zaluzhny. In turn, the multinational headquarters will be headed by Lieutenant General S. Naev - the commander of the combined forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The military from 15 countries will act as allies of Ukraine in the exercises. The total number of the foreign contingent will be about 700 people.
The most numerous will be the troops from the United States - 230 people. Slovakia sent 150 of its military to Ukraine. 120 people will arrive from the UK. 80 people are sent by Poland. From Lithuania and Romania - 35 and 32 soldiers, respectively, while Moldova and Sweden each sent 12 soldiers. 10 soldiers will arrive from Georgia, 6 more from Canada and 5 each from Latvia and Germany. Italy, Hungary and Jordan were marked with the smallest, if this word is appropriate in this case, contingents - 2 people from each country ...
The arrival of a foreign contingent from NATO countries and allies to Ukraine was carried out from 22 to 24 September. At the same time, along with the military, equipment will be transferred to the country. Slovakia "drove" 2 helicopters and 10 infantry fighting vehicles, Romania will provide 2 helicopters and 2 warships for maneuvers, as well as 2 military aircraft from Canada.
In total, about 420 armored cars will be used in maneuvers, more than 80 tanks, up to 50 artillery systems and MLRS, as well as 20 ships and 30 aviation units (helicopters and airplanes).
In addition to those that were mentioned during the description of the scenario of the "attack on Belarus", the exercises in Ukraine will involve training grounds: "Shiroky Lan" (Mykolaiv region), "Novomoskovsky" (Dnepropetrovsk region), "Oleshkovsky sands" (Kherson region), "Yagorlyksky" (Kherson region), "Urzuf" (Zaporozhye region), "Zhytomyr" (Zhytomyr region), "Rovensky" (Rivne region), "Goncharovsky" (Chernigov region).
On the progress of the exercises "United Efforts-2021"
The following is known about the course of military exercises in Ukraine.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that on September 23, at the Shirokiy Lan training ground (Mykolaiv region), an anti-tank artillery battery of a separate motorized rifle brigade was trained, during which actions to support combined-arms units were practiced. It is reported that the gunners successfully coped with the task, destroying all conventional targets (tanks and other armored vehicles).
Also, training of air defense missile systems took place at the Yagorlyk training ground (Kherson region). During the maneuver, they practiced repelling a simultaneous air attack by enemy aircraft and cruise missiles. It is reported that the Soviet UAVs Tu-141 "Strizh" and Tu-143 "Reis" (imitated missiles), as well as Su-25 attack aircraft and fighters: Su-27, MiG-29, were used as "targets". At the same time, the command of the anti-aircraft missile forces accused the Russian pilots of an alleged provocation: the Su-24MR and Il-20 aircraft were announced to have invaded the restricted area and crossed the flight paths of air targets.
Also, according to information published on the website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, exercises of the airborne assault company of the Marine Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were held. A group of marines, under the cover of border patrol boats, landed on the coast and ensured the landing of another unit from an Mi-8 helicopter. Then, by joint efforts, the Ukrainian units blocked the combined-arms reserve of the simulated enemy.
Announced the destruction of a number of targets at sea, on land and in the air.
Finally, it is worth noting that in the course of preparation for such a "grandiose" exercise, there were some curiosities. Secret documents somehow got into the network, in which the actions of Major General A. Duz-Kryatchenko and the procedure for the operation of the command post of the airborne assault forces were minutely described.
- Vasily Tisha
- facebook.com/MinistryofDefence.UA
Information