The Polish and Latvian (Zemmessardze) units of the Territorial Defense trained with the soldiers of the 19th Special Forces Group, the famous Green Berets, during the Ridge Runner 19 maneuvers taking place in West Virginia.
Green Berets from the 2nd Battalion of the 19. Special Forces Group and soldiers of the National Guard of West Virginia conducted training in asymmetrical warfare for the above-mentioned European units.
Polish and Latvian units underwent training in defeating an attack in the early stages of a hybrid conflict. Tasks during this phase may include slowing the progressing aggressor's units by destroying key transport infrastructure such as bridges, attacking enemy forces in ambushes, and reckoning enemy targets and targeting them for the NATO air force.
"During Ridge Runner, we developed skills beyond what we have been working on so far," said Marek Załuski, the WOT press officer. "We learned how to work with special forces, to serve as liaisons, to speak the same language".
The training included cooperation with local authorities, law enforcement agencies and emergency services. During the exercises, planes and helicopters were used.
"The soldiers who came to maneuvers were specially selected because they represent the skills needed to cooperate with the special forces community as liaisons, scouts and contact points in the event of unconventional warfare." - added Załuski.
US special forces intensified joint exercises with allies from the Baltic States and other countries of Eastern Europe after the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014. The conflict, although at a lower intensity level, continues in the Donbass region in the east of Ukraine. The annexation of the Crimea and the seizure of eastern Ukraine by the Russian army prompted the Baltic states to act. Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have adopted concepts of total defense and unconventional warfare in order to take action to oppose potential Russian aggression and even occupation. In a similar vein, Poland established the Territorial Defense Army in 2017.
Sources: armytimes.com, facebook.com/19thSpecialForcesGroup,mil.wa.gov
