By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 8, 2014 – The United States has begun a new
military exercise with Estonia amid no indication of a Russian troop pullback
from its border with Ukraine.
Pentagon Spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren announced today
that Exercise Spring Storm began earlier this week. At the same time, he said
there has been no change in the Russian posture along the country's border with
Ukraine, despite statements yesterday by President Vladimir Putin that Russian
forces would pull back from the area.
Spring Storm is the latest exercise announced by the
Pentagon since Russia annexed Crimea in March and is aimed at reassuring the
region of NATO’s resolve. Warren called the exercise with the NATO ally “the
first of three annual, multinational and bilateral exercises that will occur in
the Baltic region,” with U.S. Special operations forces training with their
Estonian counterparts.
Two more bilateral special operations exercises -- Flaming
Sword and Namejs -- will be held over the next two months. More information
about these exercises will become available later, Warren said.
There are 41 personnel participating in Exercise Spring
Storm, officials said. Exercise Flaming Sword will involve 140 personnel.
U.S. special operations forces will also participate in a number
of joint, combined exchange training events in five countries throughout the
Baltic republics and Eastern Europe through the next two months. Eight
countries are participating in this training -- Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia,
Poland, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United States.
The exchanges give American special operators valuable
experience in the language and culture of the region and provide opportunity to
hone their tactical skills with NATO allies, Warren said.
In the Black Sea, the USS Taylor, an Oliver Hazard-class
destroyer, is visiting the Georgian port of Batumi today.
“While in Georgia, Taylor will conduct training with the
Georgian coast guard,” Warren said.
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