04.06.2016.

Exercise at the Ravnjak military complex near Krusevac

Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic, Minister of Interior Nebojsa Stefanovic and Serbian Armed Forces Chief of General Staff General Ljubisa Dikovic have attended today the exercise at the Ravnjak military complex near Krusevac, where members of the Serbian Armed Forces, the Serbian Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia and the Serbian Red Cross showed a model of joint action.

Defence Minister Zoran Djordjevic pointed out that this exercise is one in a series as part of the Morava 2016 command-post exercise showing cooperation of the Serbian Armed Forces, civilian, government and international organizations on the elimination of consequences of accidents.

- I wish to thank all the participants who have demonstrated competence and expertise to deal with terrorist threats. Terrorism, fortunately for us, is not present in Serbia, but you have verified that you are ready to respond if it occurs. Participants in the exercise from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Health and the Red Cross have shown that together and with teamwork they can cope with terrorism. The entire activity of the Morava 2016 exercise was carried out at a high level, and in the next years these forms of preparation, training and testing will continue, Djordjevic pointed out.

The exercise on the theme "Assistance to civilian authorities to eliminate the consequences of chemical accidents" was carried out on the Ravnjak training ground by members of the CBRN Training Centre of the Training Command, 246th CBRN battalion of the Army, national poison control centre, Special Anti-Terrorist Unit, National Crime Technical Centre and the Sector for emergency situations of the Serbian Ministry of Interior, the General Hospital from Krusevac and the Red Cross.

The exercise included more than 250 people and about 60 fire-fighting, special and motor vehicles, and there could be seen activity in situations of a large accident at the Ravnjak military complex, terrorist operations against the chemical industrial installations and a terrorist attack in populated area with activated "dirty bomb" with toxic and radioactive material.

Officers and soldiers of the CBRN Training Centre and the 246th CBRN battalion showed at work that they are fully ready to respond in the execution of the tasks of the third mission, especially in the part of the survey and decontamination of the area of accident and terrorist attacks and synergies with teams from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health and the Red Cross.

Other commands and units of the Serbian Armed Forces have also continued to solve problems according to the scenario of Morava 2016 exercise at training grounds and practice ranges.

Members of the First Depot Battalion have demonstrated today near Kraljevo, in the context of exercising the key elements of the unit and based on tasks received according to the scenario of the Morava 2016 command-post exercise, the functioning of a field depot.

The demonstration was attended by the Commander of the Central Logistics Base Brigadier General Peter Latkovic, representatives of the commands of operational elements of the Serbian Armed Forces, and in the context of the study visit, the exercise was observed also by the youngest members of the Base.

At the Oresac training ground, members of the Special Brigade, together with the Gendarmerie are preparing for the implementation of the exercise on the topic of "Anti-Terrorist Operation".

In the area of Backa Topola, members of the First Army Brigade continued with tactical practicing on performing attack against the air assault, while the River Flotilla carried out reconnaissance of Tisa - Danube - Velika Morava waterway. The Second Brigade engineers were engaged in repairing the road in the village of Misevici, and a part of the units of the Guard, who have been on a movable camp for several days, have conducted today on Peskovi and Desici training ranges squad tactical live fire exercise.