NATO’s multinational battlegroups in the east of the Alliance (Mastersubs)

ESTONIA

06.23.2022

Courtesy Video

Natochannel           

“What we provide here is a really potent force that is able to not only deter but defeat an aggressor.” NATO’s multinational battlegroups are a vital part of NATO’s deterrence and defence posture in the eastern part of the Alliance.
Synopsis
It’s been five years since NATO deployed four multinational battlegroups to its eastern flank. The battlegroups, stationed in the three Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - as well as in Poland, were one of several measures announced in response to Russia’s illegal and illegitimate annexation of the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine in 2014.
As they commemorate their fifth anniversary, the battlegroups, led by Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, remain combat-ready, demonstrate the strength of the transatlantic bond between Europe and North America, and make clear that an attack on one Ally would be considered an attack on all.
After Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February 2022, NATO announced the formation of four more battlegroups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
This video examines the role of the battlegroups, how they train and operate, and what they bring to the Alliance. Featuring interviews from battlegroup commanders, it also looks back at the deployment of the battlegroups and the cause of their placement in the east of the Alliance.
Transcript
—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. DAN RICHEL
Commander, NATO battlegroup Latvia

“A battlegroup is a combined arms team.”


—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
COL. DAI BEVAN
Commander, NATO battlegroup Estonia

“A collection of component parts that together is able to respond to a series of threats.”


—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. DAN RICHEL
Commander, NATO battlegroup Latvia

“Instead of just having one type of element, for example infantry units or artillery units, a battlegroup is a mixture of those various combat arms.”


—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
COL. DAI BEVAN
Commander, NATO battlegroup Estonia

“What we provide here is a really potent force that is able to not only deter but then defeat an aggressor.”

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
NATO’S MULTINATIONAL BATTLEGROUPS

--VOICEOVER—
In 2014, Russia violated Ukrainian sovereign territory by aggressively and illegally annexing the Crimean peninsula. Allies responded by strengthening their defences.

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
2014

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
RUSSIA ANNEXES CRIMEA

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
ALLIES STRENGTHEN DEFENCES


— TEXT ON SCREEN —
2016 WARSAW SUMMIT


And then at the NATO Summit in Warsaw in 2016, they announced the deployment of four battalions to the eastern part of the Alliance.

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
JENS STOLTENBERG
NATO Secretary General

“These battalions will be robust and they will be multinational and they make clear that an attack on one Ally would be considered an attack on the whole Alliance.”

--VOICEOVER—
Those battalions, now known as NATO’s multinational battlegroups, were deployed in each of the Baltic states, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and also in Poland.
— TEXT ON SCREEN —
ESTONIA
LATVIA
LITHUANIA
POLAND

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
COL. DAI BEVAN
Commander, NATO battlegroup Estonia

“Estonia sits as the most northern Baltic country in a very sort of strategic region, and then if you look at Tallinn, opposite Helsinki, it’s the gateway to the gulf of Finland and therefore into Saint Petersburg. So, just where Estonia sits in itself is of importance, and that’s why there is that onus on making sure that we’ve got the right defensive capabilities, not just in Estonia but within the Baltics.”

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
ESTONIA
FINLAND
RUSSIA
HELSINKI
TALLINN
GULF OF FINLAND

--VOICEOVER—
By 2017, all four multinational battlegroups were in place, installed primarily as a deterrence measure, but also combat-ready and deployable at short notice, if required.

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
2017 BATTLEGROUPS DEPLOYED


—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. DAN RICHEL
Commander, NATO battlegroup Latvia

“Our first real priority is always readiness so when we get here we put the team together and we make sure that all elements of the battlegroup are ready to go out the door, if required. Obviously our principle mission is deterrence and we do that by our presence here, consistent training, but we always have to be ready to accomplish that defend part of the mission, which is really our readiness and ability to project our forces as required.”

--VOICEOVER—

Each battlegroup has a lead nation. In Estonia that’s the United Kingdom. In Latvia, Canada, in Lithuania, Germany and in Poland, the United States, which are then supplemented by a number of contributing nations, each of which provide their own set of skills and capabilities.


—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. DAN RICHEL
Commander, NATO battlegroup Latvia

“Within our command post, all nine nations are represented, all nine nations are represented within each of the subunits, each country providing different capacities to the battlegroup.”


—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
COL. DAI BEVAN
Commander, NATO battlegroup Estonia

“And each of the contributing nations brings forward a component that adds to the defensive posture of that battlegroup so we really are sort of the sum of all the parts and that’s what we draw our strength from and all the strengths and capabilities that those nations offer.”

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. TREVOR PHILLIPS
Commander, NATO battlegroup Poland

“It’s one of the most rewarding missions you can have as an army, an armed force. I believe it’s an amazing concept when you bring all the countries together under one unified command structure and everyone has a singular purpose.”


—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. DAN RICHEL
Commander, NATO battlegroup Latvia

“Being NATO Allies, we have a lot of common tactics, techniques, procedures and whatever is not common, we’re able to sort out relatively quickly once we get on the ground.”

--VOICEOVER—
And while the battlegroups are primarily land-focused, they work with other regional NATO assets to ensure the Alliance is also protected at sea and in the skies.

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
COL. DAI BEVAN
Commander, NATO battlegroup Estonia

“We work very closely with NATO’s maritime assets in the Baltic region and likewise with the air assets that support us here, whether that be through the Baltic Air Policing or air capabilities coming in from the broader Alliance into the region.”

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
2022 RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE

--VOICEOVER—
On February 24th 2022, the security landscape in Europe was shattered as Russian forces conducted an unprovoked, brutal invasion of Ukraine. For the battlegroups, that meant a status of high alert.

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. DAN RICHEL
Commander, NATO battlegroup Latvia

“So the events starting on February 24th have obviously brought additional focus to our mission. We see that the threat is real and we see the conflict in Ukraine playing out as it is now, so our soldiers come with a renewed focus to maintain readiness and definitely be ready at all times.”

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
COL. DAI BEVAN
Commander, NATO battlegroup Estonia

“We’re constantly varying the geometry of the battlegroup to make sure that we’ve got those capabilities that are relevant and current and able to defend, not just Estonia but the wider region.”

— TEXT ON SCREEN —
BULGARIA
HUNGARY
ROMANIA
SLOVAKIA

--VOICEOVER—
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine also prompted NATO to deploy four more battlegroups in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
JENS STOLTENBERG
NATO Secretary General
“So we have eight multinational NATO battlegroups, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.”

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. TREVOR PHILLIPS
Commander, NATO battlegroup Poland

“You’re expanding upon that current footprint so now instead of having it just in the north-east of the NATO region, now you’re spreading it all the way down to the south-east and you’re creating that barrier, if you will, against any aggression all the way through the region.”

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
LT. COL. DAN RICHEL
Commander, NATO battlegroup Latvia

“Having these multinational battlegroups in place, ready to go right now, sends a message that we’re here, we’re ready, and that we can respond to any aggression as it would happen.”

—SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH —
COL. DAI BEVAN
Commander, NATO battlegroup Estonia
“The fact that we’re able to work so effortlessly and seamlessly together and able to integrate is a clear demonstration of the cohesive nature of the Alliance and the unity that we have, and that underscores our collective defence, of us being able to work together, and it underpins Article 5 in that you have a unified and collective response to a threat against a single member.”

TEXT – This video includes Thomson Reuters copyrighted library material licensed by NATO, which cannot be used as part of a new production without consent of the copyright holder. Please contact Thomson Reuters to clear this material.


END
Music
Solitude and Sand by Conway Behind the Curtain by Cullen and Powell Silver Bulletin by Huntley Hot on the Heels by Mimms Vigilante by Daubry
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NATO’s military presence in the east of the Alliance
Usage rights
This media asset is free for editorial broadcast, print, online and radio use. It is restricted for use for other purposes. This video includes Thomson Reuters copyrighted library material licensed by NATO, which cannot be used as part of a new production without consent of the copyright holder. Please contact Thomson Reuters to clear this material.

• Date Taken: 06.23.2022
• Date Posted: 06.23.2022 11:11
• Category: Package
• Video ID: 848089
• VIRIN: 220623-O-D0483-1001
• Filename: DOD_109072059
• Length: 00:06:27
• Location: EE