Georgia involved in international military exercise ‘Viking 2014’

Georgia and four other countries are simultaneously taking part in Viking 2014 - an international military exercise aimed to resolve crisis through international cooperation and strengthen relationships between local emergency services and participant countries.

In Georgia, Viking 2014 began at the 4th Mechanized Brigade military base in Vaziani yesterday. 

Viking 2014 is built on a fictitious scenario involving several countries in deep crisis in the need of support from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) based on United Nation (UN) resolution. Multinational brigades carry out stabilization operations in a fictitious country.

The ten-day exercise aimed to streamline and coordinate work between civilian, military and police units. Representatives of the United States European Command and Swedish Defence Ministry are engaged in the ongoing multinational exercise in Georgia. 

Viking 2014 is being held simultaneously in Georgia, Sweden, Ireland, Bulgaria and Serbia. The exercises operations headquarters is based in Sweden – the leading country. Coordination among the participant countries is carried out via Video Teleconference (VTC), where countries receive tasks from headquarters and carry out joint activities.

The participants of international organisations are also involved in the international training exercise. 

Meanwhile, students at the Baltic Defence College are also taking part in Viking 2014, which will end on April 10.