Home Notifications Newsletters Next Share

Marines took tanks out of secret caves to do military exercises near Russia's northern border for the first timehttps://www.businessinsider.in/miscellaneous/marines-took-tanks-out-of-secret-caves-to-do-military-exercises-near-russias-northern-border-for-the-first-time/slidelist/64325436.cms2018-05-26T00:37:22+05:30

Marines took tanks out of secret caves to do military exercises near Russia's northern border for the first time

May 26, 2018, 00:37 IST

Tensions between Russia and other countries in Europe have been elevated since early 2014, when Russia intervened in Ukraine and annexed Crimea.

In the years since, NATO has reassessed its security posture in Europe, deploying more forces to eastern Europe and seeking to streamline operations.

Niether Finland nor Sweden are NATO members, but both countries have worked more closely with each other and the defense alliance to develop military capabilities and maintain readiness.

Russia singled out those moves closer to NATO by Finland and Sweden as a matter of "special concern." Russia has also criticized neighboring Norway for allowing a US Marine rotational force to be stationed in the country — the first time a foreign force has been posted on Norwegian soil since World War II.

The Marines deployed to Finland with M1A1 tanks for the exercise, where they were joined by soldiers from the Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment using Stryker armored vehicles. US personnel and a Finnish mechanized infantry brigade took part in a mock battle in woods and marshland in the western part of the country.

The exercise saw Marines working with Finnish soldiers to attack the enemy, a role filled by other Finnish troops. "We would punch holes through the enemy lines and the conscripts would come in and give us support," Anderson, the tank commander, told Stars and Stripes.

The territory presented a new challenge for the Marines.

"We're used to operating in open terrain," Anderson told Stars and Stripes. "This is very different. It is very forested, and we've had to adjust to the way Finnish tankers fight, more closely together."

One of Finland's Leopard 2 tanks got stuck in a swamp during the training, giving Marines a chance to show off. "That was a lot of fun for my crew," Sgt. Jonathan Hess, a recovery-vehicle mechanic, told Stars and Strips. "We showed the conscripts how to do recovering with our vehicle, because they have nothing like what we have."

Next Story I make $48,000 as an Uber driver and government e...

View All Latest