North Macedonia: US leads exercise in NATO’s newest member

© Thomson Reuters U.S. Army helicopter UH-60 Blackhawk crew clean the helicopter as U.S., British and Macedonian military aircrafts (not pictured) are on display during an air show as part of the military exercise “Swift Response 2022 (SR22)” in Skopje, North Macedonia May 8,2022.REUTERS/Ognen TeofilovskiNearly 10,000 soldiers from 19 nations are taking part in NATO’s planned “Swift Response” exercises as Russia’s war in Ukraine continues for a 12th week. The exercises are being held in five separate locations, spanning from Norway to North Macedonia, military officials said.

“I think it’s a fantastic demonstration of what we can do as an alliance and our ability to project combat power if asked to do so and how quickly we can do it,” Maj. Gen. Peter B. Andrysiak, U.S. Army Deputy Commanding General for Europe and Africa, told reporters after an hourlong display in North Macedonia.

Over the past 10 days, about 4,600 soldiers from Albania, France, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Montenegro, the U.K., and the U.S. have taken part in the exercises, which have included parachute jumps at several locations around the country.

North Macedonia formally joined NATO in March 2020. The small Balkan country of 1.8 million people has an active military of about 8,000 personnel.

___ Konstantin Testorides reported from Skopje, North Macedonia.

North Macedonia: US leads exercise in NATO’s newest member (msn.com)