On Monday, September 20, on the basis of the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security of the National Academy of Ground Forces named after Hetman Petro Sahaidachny, the joint Ukrainian-US military exercises Rapid Trident-2021 will begin.
“The Ukrainian-US military exercises Rapid Trident-2021 will last from September 20 to October 1, 2021. The main goal is to prepare for joint actions as part of the multinational forces during coalition operations,” the press service of the Ground Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Thursday.
It is noted that these exercises are an important step for Ukraine on the way to NATO, they should increase the level of training and efficiency of Ukrainian troops, as well as improve the compatibility of the headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the United States and other NATO members and partner states.
“Some 6,000 servicemen from fifteen partner countries will take part in the exercises,” the message says.
It clarifies that for the first time in the history of Rapid Trident, tactical exercises of a multinational battalion with live fire will be carried out. Also, during the exercise, it is planned to jointly land Ukrainian and American paratroopers from the US military transport aircraft C-130.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a bill to increase the number of servicemen in the Armed Forces by 11,000, and the relevant bill has been published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.
“The bill proposes increasing at the legislative level the number of servicemen in the Ukrainian Armed Forces by 11,000 to ensure the functioning of a separate branch of the army, that is, the territorial defense forces, as well as the further development of the resistance system,” the explanatory note to the bill reads.
Thus, the president suggested approving the number of Armed Forces personnel in an amount not exceeding 261,000, including 215,000 military personnel.
According to the bill, during any special period, the size of the Ukrainian army is increased by the number of personnel called up for military service in pursuance of presidential orders on mobilization approved by the law.
Currently, the Ukrainian Armed Forces should not exceed 250,000 people, including 204,000 servicemen.
