Estonia conducts major military exercise with mobilised conscripts, NATO allies

Record ID: 102781

  • Title: Estonia conducts major military exercise with mobilised conscripts, NATO allies
  • Date: 13th May 2016
  • Summary: RAPINA, ESTONIA (MAY 13, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARMOURED VEHICLES DRIVING ON STREETS OF RAPINA TOWN SOLDIERS SHOOTING FROM MACHINE GUN ESTONIAN SOLDIERS HOLDING POSITIONS ESTONIAN CONSCRIPT SHOOTING FROM MACHINE GUN PEOPLE WATCHING EXERCISE VARIOUS OF LITHUANIAN CONSCRIPTS HIDING BEHIND CARS SOLDIER THROWING SMOKE GRENADE SMOKE ON THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPRING STORM 2016 EXERCISE DIRECTOR, COMMODORE IGOR SCHVEDE, SAYING: "It's important because the first, the second brigade, the main training audience has area of responsibility in this area and they're really training on the same landscape and on the same areas and terrain as we plan to do during a possible conflict." VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS WALKING NEAR RAPINA BUS STATION ARMOURED VEHICLE COVERED IN BRANCHES NEAR BUS STATION GIRLS WALKING ALONG STREET, SOLDIERS TAKING SHOOTING POSITIONS VAN PASSING EXERCISE BATTLE FIELD (SOUNDBITE) (English) SPRING STORM 2016 EXERCISE DIRECTOR, COMMODORE IGOR SCHVEDE, SAYING: "Recent political events show the aggressiveness of Russia, Putin's regime have put additional mark on that. But it's really what our defence forces are built for, to defend our country and that's areas that we see as a potential threat could come from." VARIOUS OF ARMOURED VEHICLE SHOOTING ON STREET SOLDIERS HIDING BEHIND WOODEN HOUSE SHOOTING FROM INSIDE ABANDONED BUILDING ESTONIAN CONSCRIPT THROWING SMOKE GRENADE INSIDE WINDOW SOLDIER RUNNING PEOPLE STANDING NEXT TO ARMOURED VEHICLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ESTONIAN CONSCRIPT, SIIM KURVET, SAYING: "We should learn more about the urban area because it's definitely harder. Like in forests, there are less variables, so in urban area you have to really know more things, you have to work together better than in the forest." SOLDIERS WALKING ACROSS FIELD VARIOUS OF ESTONIAN CONSCRIPT READING MAP AND TALKING ON RADIO MAP BATTLE NEAR ABANDONED BUILDING SOLDIER SHOOTING (SOUNDBITE) (RUSSIAN) LITHUANIAN CONSCRIPT, AIRONAS BABKAUSKAS, SAYING: "It's really awesome in my opinion. It's very good experience for us because it's first time we're fighting in the city. It's nice to work with our colleagues, our allies." PEOPLE CROSSING STREET ESTONIAN SOLDIERS AT POSITION ON STREET SOLDIER TARGETING WEAPON SHOOTING FROM ARMOURED VEHICLE ON STREET MEN WITH BABY CARRIAGE WATCHING ARMOURED VEHICLE PASS BY
  • Embargoed: 28th May 2016 13:58
  • Keywords: NATO exercise military army operation
  • Location: RAPINA, ESTONIA
  • City: RAPINA, ESTONIA
  • Country: Estonia
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA0014HN4KL5
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Residents of the Estonian town Rapina had to get used to the presence of armed soldiers on their streets on Friday (May 13), as large-scale military training Kevadtorm or Spring Storm 2016 takes place.
    The exercise is the biggest military training this year, with almost 6,000 soldiers from ten countries taking part - from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Canada and Finland.
    On Friday, the training took an active form, with soldiers learning the tactics of defence and attack in urban areas.
    For Estonia's obligatory military service conscripts who were called up last year in July and October, Spring Storm 2016 is also a final exam in battle conditions.
    The training takes place in the Voru region, which is about 200 km to the south from Estonian capital Tallinn and not far from the Russian border.
    Populated areas in soldiers' zones of responsibility are chosen as leaders of the training said it had to take place in a real environment under suitable conditions. In the case of real warfare civilians would be evacuated, but this time, in cooperation with local municipalities and private proprietors, the training was taking place in the middle of the town's everyday life.
    "It's important because the first, the second brigade, the main training audience has area of responsibility in this area and they're really training on the same landscape and on the same areas and terrain as we plan to do during a possible conflict," exercise director Commodore Igor Schvede said.
    "Recent political events show the aggressiveness of Russia, Putin's regime have put additional mark on that. But it's really what our defence forces are built for, to defend our country and that's areas that we see as a potential threat could come from," he added.
    Soldiers from Estonia and allied nations said that training in the town had turned out more dynamic and much more difficult that in rural environments.
    "We should learn more about the urban area because it's definitely harder. Like in forests, there are less variables, so in urban area you have to really know more things, you have to work together better than in the forest," Estonian conscript Siim Kurvet said.
    The organisers of the training said that by working in an international environment, together with so many allies, the soldiers gained experience in mutual communication, mutual trust and ability to work in an united team.
    "It's really awesome in my opinion. It's very good experience for us because it's first time we're fighting in the city. It's nice to work with our colleagues, our allies," Lithuanian conscript Aironas Babkauskas said.
    Spring Storm 2016 started already on May 2 and is set to continue until May 20, when allied units will return to their countries of origin.
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