LVOV, July 14 (AVN) - The Shield of Piece 2000 multinational computerised peacekeeping exercise started in the Yavorovo international peacekeeping training centre on Friday, a source in the exercise staff told the Military News Agency.
The exercise is attended by about 1,500 servicemen from 21 countries, including NATO members, Sweden, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Finland, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Estonia, Belarus, Moldova.
The exercise is commanded by Colonel Alexander Pushkar, deputy commander of the Ukrainian 24th mechanised division and Brigadier General William Ostin, Illinois National Guard, USA.
The aim of the exercise is to train the multinational personnel to the tactics, methods and procedures of conducting peacekeeping operations in conflict zones.
The field phase of the exercise will deploy units from the USA, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and Italy. A 100-strong paratrooper group of the 1st Ukrainian Bolgrad airmobile brigade will be airdropped Friday in the vicinity of the Burakova Niva. The troops will also participate in the airdrop together with 280 servicemen of the US 82nd airmobile division on July 17. The US paratroops will be dropped after a 14h-long non-stop flight from their base in North Carolina, USA.