NATO Special Operations Forces Begin Largest Exercise In Romania

• 9.05.2023, 2:23

For security in the Black Sea.

The largest exercise of NATO Special Operations Forces JUST 23 has started in Romania, the Romanian Ministry of National Defence has announced.

The exercise will take place from May 8 to 18 at training bases of the Romanian army, as well as in the areas of Babadag, Bacau, Constanta and other cities.

"The exercise, which involves more than 500 Romanian soldiers and about 100 land, air and maritime technical means, provides the organisational conditions to perform the most realistic training, based on a fictional scenario, by tactical and operational level structures involved in a multinational and inter-institutional format," the statement said.

The aim of the exercise is to certify three NATO force units: the maritime SOF unit, the land-based Special Forces unit and airborne special forces units.

In addition to Romanian troops, some 100 foreign troops from Alliance member states such as Bulgaria, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United States will train.

Military personnel from partner countries - Georgia, Jordan and Moldova - have joined as observers.

The Romanian Ministry of Defence said the aims of the exercise are "to contribute to regional security, especially in the Black Sea region".