NATO multinational brigade in Romania

The North-Atlantic Alliance has transformed a Romanian brigade into a multinational one in order to strengthen the NATO presence in South-Eastern Europe.

Daniela Budu, 16.11.2018, 12:38

The first multinational brigade on the south-eastern flank of the
North-Atlantic Alliance was declared combat-ready on Thursday, after more than
two years of training and live-fire drills held at the Cincu shooting range in
Brasov county, in the centre. The brigade is based in southern Romania and
comprises, besides the so-called Red Scorpions from Craiova, military from ten
other allied states.

Over 1,800 military backed by around 250 pieces of technical
equipment have taken part in an exercise called Scorpions Fury 2018, aimed at
assessing the Headquarters Multinational Brigade South
East. The exercise involved both the military of this brigade and other types
of forces, including aircraft. The operation was carried out by specialists
from the General Staff of the Ground Forces and the Headquarters Multinational Brigade South East and monitored by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

Lieutenant
General Paolo Ruggiero, Deputy Commander
of Allied Land Command, said making the Multinational Brigade combat-ready is
an important step towards consolidating the deterrence capacity and the defence
presence in this sensitive area, namely the south-eastern flank of the Alliance
and the Black Sea area. The Headquarters Multinational
Brigade South East in Craiova was based on the 2nd
Rovine Brigade and its mission is to ensure both the training of subordinated
structures and the control of Article 5-type NATO operations and collective
defence, in order to contribute to territorial security on the south-eastern
flank and the Black Sea area.

The Chief of the
Romanian Defence Staff, General Nicolae Ciuca, said the south-eastern flank of
the Alliance is an area of strategic and major importance. He welcomed the fact
that ten other allied nations contributed experienced troops to the brigade, allowing
it to meet NATO standards and requirements.

According to the
Romanian defence minister Mihai Fifor, Romania has again demonstrated that it
remains a pillar of stability on the NATO eastern flank and in the Black Sea
region. It also demonstrated that it is aware of both the strategic advantages
of its NATO membership, the world’s most powerful political and military
alliance, as well as the obligations that come with this membership, the
minister also said.

Romania last
year began to allocate 2% of its GDP to defence, something it will continue to
do until 2026, according to the defence ministry.