The unprecedented military drills were held day and night across the entire territory of Ukraine on land, in the sky and at sea with the participation of all types of troops of the national armed forces. In all, almost 12 thousand servicemen and 700 arms and military equipment were involved in the drills.

For the first time in the military history of Ukraine, the drills were conducted in compliance with the standards of NATO. The special operation forces and airborne assault brigades of the United States and Great Britain as well the reconnaissance, fighter and bomber aircraft of the Alliance member-countries took part in the exercises for the first time. Up to 200 foreign instructors, military advisers and observers followed the exercises. For the first time, U.S. strategic bombers B-52H along with the units of Ukrainian air forces performed training flights in the airspace of Ukraine.

It should be noted that the joint Ukraine-NATO military exercises were held at the same time with the Russian military manoeuvres “Caucasus-2020” involving nearly 80 thousand servicemen that were carried out not far from the Ukrainian borders.

Kryvonis noted, “Thus, we’ve got an enormous support both at the military and political levels. And the main thing is the signal that we will not be left one on one with the enemy”.

In commenting the hysterical reaction of Kremlin propagandists to the flight of two American heliplanes over the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv, the deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council stated that “we are not going to make anyone angry but just to show clearly that we have reliable and strong partners who will always help us”.

Analyzing the participation of the foreign military unites in the exercises, most analysts maintain that the United States and Great Britain have sent their paratroopers and special operation unites to Ukraine not by accident. These forces can be especially effective in complex situations. 

In other words, Moscow must understand that Ukraine together with the American and British military is working on special scenarios aimed at restraining Russia. Now, the Kremlin can see that the foreign partners’ support of Ukraine in its struggle for independence is not a fragmentary one but has a permanent nature both in political and military-technical spheres. The confirmation of this fact is the NATO advanced partner status granted to Ukraine as well as the drills “Joint Efforts-2020” carried out in the territory of this country.

In the photo: the heliplanes of U.S. air military forces in the sky over Kyiv

The newspaper Voice of Ukraine