Lithuania holding Maple Arch 2015 Exercise involving Ukraine, Poland

The exercise will focus on peacekeeping tasks in an imaginary Baltic country to consider the threats and challenges affecting the region. "A scenario of the exercises is based on those local conflicts and situations which unfortunately some states [face as a] challenge todayAnd for the Ukrainian servicemen this is a good occasion to look on the events in the eastern regions of our states from the other side, to exchange experience with their colleagues from NATO member states. Preserving peace and stability is our common task and in the context of the functioning of the multinational brigade it is a top priority," officer of Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Multinational Brigade's HQ (LitPolUkrBrig) Andriy Kikhtan said. He said that the main challenges facing the participating states are signs of so-called hybrid war when an aggressor, in addition to military hardware and armament, actively uses information and psychological influence and propaganda, and neglects the welfare of the civil population and international humanitarian law. The exercises will mainly focus on new methods of information operations, information warfare, cooperation with local population, media representatives, etc. Ukraine is represented by 35 servicemen of Land Forces Command, High Mobile Airborne Troops of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, National Hetman Petro Sahaidachny Land Forces Academy, and other military units. As LitPolUkrBrig servicemen will participate, their experience, skills and knowledge will be promptly implemented by the multinational brigade.