The United States is sending about 200 special operations forces and support staff to the Baltic states in Northern Europe to take part in training exercises amid regional tension over Russia’s recent annexation of the Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula.
According to the Associated Press, the Pentagon confirmed that 40 special operations forces are currently taking part in the two-week Exercise Spring Storm in Estonia. 140 US forces are also scheduled to participate in Exercise Flaming Sword — which will also include seven other countries — in Latvia and Lithuania later this month. A third drill called Namejs will take place in Latvia.
In addition, small teams of US commandos will participate in language, cultural skills and tactical training in the Baltics and two other Eastern European countries over the next couple of months, the AP said.
Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/us-commandos-head-baltics-europe-training
