Fourteen nations hold joint military exercises in Ukraine
The idyll of a picture-perfect morning in Ukraine’s southern steppe was suddenly shattered by two menacing warships on the horizon speeding toward the coast. They slowed, releasing a succession of landing craft, from which armed and camouflaged men poured onto the shore and stormed the coastal rocks. Amphibious personnel carriers emerged from the water and rumbled past, heading for the steppe. Assault boats escorted by helicopters came last, emptying onto the shore another landing party. The scenery, now dominated by armed men, gradually lost its serenity... This was day seven of the Cooperative Partner 2003 international military exercises.
On June 20 — July 5, the Cooperative Partner 2003 joint military exercises were held near Odesa and in the northwestern Black Sea under the NATO-Ukraine 2003 Action Plan. These were the sixth joint military exercises held as part of the Partnership for Peace Program and were hosted by Ukraine for the second time. To quote Lt. Gen. Atalay Efeer, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of NATO Allied Forces in Southern Europe, “NATO and its members should thank Ukraine for the opportunity it has provided. I had a chance to compare its current level of preparation with that of 2000, when Ukraine also hosted the exercises. I can say that even despite some shortcomings, we have seen major progress. I promise that the efforts by all countries that have contributed to the exercises will be rewarded.”
This year’s exercises stand out for their scope, with fourteen countries participating, among them Ukraine, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Italy, the US, France, Romania, and Azerbaijan. Over 5,000 troops, forty-four surface ships, assault boats, submarines, and support vessels, as well as twenty planes and helicopters were involved in the exercises. Moreover, civil defense units, minesweepers, medics, and units of the Ministry for Emergency Management participated in the exercises for the first time. The Combined Operations Headquarters (COH) included over one hundred representatives of NATO member states and NATO partners. Command of the exercises was assigned to Admiral Ferdinando Sanfelice Di Monteforte, Commander-in-Chief of NATO Allied Naval Forces in Southern Europe. According to a COH representative, Russia and Moldova were invited to participate in the exercises but declined the invitation.
According to Ukrainian Navy Commander-in-Chief Rear Admiral Ihor Kniaz, “We witnessed and participated in the most large-scale exercises as part of the Cooperative Partner Program. Participation in these exercises is especially important to us, since this is part of Ukraine’s general political course.”
According to experts, this year’s exercises differed substantially from previous ones. First, they were held strictly in line with NATO standards. No concessions were made for countries that are yet to join the alliance. Second, they were unique in that the maneuvers of naval, ground, and air forces were coordinated in a joint operation. But the main thing is the legend of the exercises, that is, a peacekeeping operation to settle a sociopolitical crisis and provide humanitarian assistance. All of the previous exercises were aimed at maintaining peace in a country in the aftermath of a natural calamity. Meanwhile, this year’s exercises were aimed at overcoming a sociopolitical crisis. According to the legend of the maneuvers, in the past five years the economic and political situation in the imaginary country of Rania was unstable. Rivalry among political parties and forces, ineffectual economic reforms, and destructive actions of the opposition resulted in a social crisis in the country. The government appealed for assistance to the UN, which agreed to provide humanitarian assistance. NATO rapid deployment forces had to “help the democratically elected government contain resistance and restore law and order in the country.”
“Under no conditions should this scenario be associated with the events in the world or any country in particular,” said Lt. Gen. Efeer.
Speaking on the need for Ukraine’s participation in similar exercises, Rear Admiral Ihor Kniaz said: “Ukraine’s Navy takes part in all exercises hosted by NATO states or those of the Black Sea region, including the annual exercises, Black Sea Partnership in Turkey, and Breeze in Bulgaria. Until last year, we hosted the Sea Breeze exercises on our territory. The main goal of these exercises is to fine tune the cooperation among warships of various countries at sea. We also worked to solve the problem of the language barrier. Presently, all naval commanders speak English at a level adequate for cooperation. There is no denying that the Navy is facing numerous problems. Most of the vessels we inherited from the USSR were built back in the 1980s. The government is currently drafting a program to upgrade armaments, especially in shipbuilding. It will be submitted to the Minister of Defense and president before long.”
Even amateurs could see the technical shortcomings of Ukraine’s Navy. Three Ukrainian vessels took part in the exercises: the Hetman Sahaidachny frigate, Kirovohrad medium assault boat, and Lutsk corvette. The latter vessel, all camouflaged in pennants to hide rust on its sideboards, skillfully demonstrated a torpedo attack. The Navy is also struggling with the language barrier. Of all members of the Combined Naval Command onboard the Dutch frigate, Jacob Van Chemserk, only the Ukrainians kept an interpreter close at hand.
However, according to experts and observers, the Ukrainian landing troops, scouts, naval officers, and pilots that participated in the exercises matched their foreign colleagues in terms of their skills. Considering the fuel shortages, our troops saved face in general. Thus, it is no accident that Lt. Gen. Efeer stated: “Ukraine has made colossal efforts to organize and hold these exercises. This is not only a result of its generosity, but also evidence of Ukraine’s total acceptance of cooperation according to NATO standards. This is precisely what NATO values in Ukraine.”
