NATO conducts drills in Poland simulating confrontation with Russia
As part of strengthening the security of their eastern flank, NATO forces carry out exercises in a highly-strategic location in northern Poland.
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According to the Polish Ministry, 2,000 troops from land and air forces took part in the TUMAK-22 exercises.
NATO forces took part on Friday in the TUMAK-22 drills in the Suwalki Gap in northern Poland, which simulated a confrontation with Russian forces.
The Suwalki Gap is a Polish territory lying between Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and is a strategic area for the security of the military alliance's eastern flank.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak indicated that "as part of these drills there were exercises that... were formulated based on our experience and observation of the battlefield in Ukraine."
"We know what methods Russia uses and what methods (of defense) are effective," Blaszczak claimed.
Wicepremier @mblaszczak obserwował poziom wyszkolenia żołnierzy #WojskoPolskie oraz @BG_Poland_eFP w okolicy m. Suwałki gdzie #16DZ zaprezentowała sposób ewakuacji rannych oraz pojazdu w przypadku ataku na konwój logistyczny. Był to element ćw. #Tumak22❗️💪 pic.twitter.com/TBGEvIfB5j
— 16 Dywizja Zmechanizowana (@16Dywizja) November 25, 2022
According to the Polish Ministry, 2,000 troops from land and air forces took part in the TUMAK-22 exercises and more than 1,000 pieces of combat and logistical support equipment were used.
Dozens of Polish and allied soldiers crossed waters with military vehicles on amphibious transporters, as US forces simulated chasing the target in Abrams tanks.
Colonel Tomasz Biedziak revealed that "what happened today at Lake Kepno was part of a larger exercise which has been going on for several weeks."
Commenting on the mobilization of NATO forces in the eastern flank of the military alliance, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko considered a couple of days ago that "the West continues to relocate troops, weapons and military equipment to the NATO eastern flank. The intensity of their operational and combat training activities is increasing. What is this but the development of a potential theater of combat operations?"
In a related context, Polish President Andrzej Duda tweeted that the Patriot missiles offered to Poland by Germany should be sent to Ukraine because it makes sense from a military point of view.
Germany had offered on Sunday Poland several batteries from its Patriot missile defense system after two Poles died when two missiles, believed to be Ukrainian, fell on the village of Przewodów in the Lubelskie Voivodeship near the border with Ukraine.
"From a military point of view it would be best to place the Patriot batteries in Ukraine, at a certain distance from the Polish border," Duda said, adding that this would allow the system "to protect Poland and its citizens as well as part of Ukraine."
The Polish President noted that "if Germany does not agree that the system could be installed in Ukraine, then Poland should accept it."
Read more: Poland justifies reoperations from Germany to 50 allies
