Incorporating about 2,000 participants, Saber Guardian/Rapid Trident 2015 international joint drills with the participation of NATO members are the largest military exercises in Ukraine this year, head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s western regional media center Alexander Poronyuk said Monday.
The drills began July 20 and will finish July 31 at the Yavoriv training center near Ukraine’s border with Poland.
“The record number of soldiers will take part in the exercises – about 2,000 from 18 countries, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and of course the United States and Ukraine,” Poronyuk said in an interview with 112 Ukraina TV Channel.
According to Poronyuk, the military scenario of the exercises is closely linked to the situation in the southeastern Ukraine where the Kiev government launched a military operation against Donbas independence supporters in April 2014.
