ITAR-TASS | June 11, 2014
WASHINGTON – US will deploy more troops on the territory of NATO members in Eastern Europe to assist them in the preparation of similar elite units. The US European Command (Eurocom) reported that the decision was dictated by the necessity to provide additional support to the Eastern European allies after the crisis in Ukraine and Russia’s actions in Crimea.
“Training with our partners in their home countries is something that we have always done,” Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Sternberg said. “The difference is that now we will maintain a (permanent) Special Operations Forces presence in theater along the eastern front of NATO on this training mission,” Sternberg added.
US Special Forces units took part in maneuvers in Poland, Slovakia and the Baltic countries since the end of last month. It is expected that the number of joint exercises of elite units of the US and other NATO countries will increase. The total number of US Special Forces will not exceed 100 people in Eastern Europe, one of the EUROCOM representatives told Reuters.