MOSCOW, October 23 — RIA Novosti, Andrey Kotz. In November, exercises of the "Coalition of the Willing" will be held in Poland, in which military personnel from leading European countries will take part. The allies are going to practice the deployment of a multinational contingent on the territory of Ukraine. About why this is necessary and what it threatens - in the material of RIA Novosti.
Check the logistics
The maneuvers were reported by Western media, and this information was confirmed at the level of the British Defense Ministry. We are talking about at least one and a half thousand British, French, German and Polish soldiers. The exact location, composition of the equipment and details of the scenario were not disclosed, which is significant. Unlike major NATO exercises like Steadfast Defender or Baltops, there is less public display and more applied preparation for an operation with far-reaching political consequences.
Soldiers of the Bundeswehr
Image source: © AP Photo / Henry Nicholls
It is known that the legend is not based on a classic combined arms battle, but on logistics issues. It is necessary to test the ability to quickly move units and material resources, organize the supply of fuel, food and ammunition to the contingent, and manage the forces of different states in the common area of responsibility. That is, to understand whether Europe can really keep troops in a remote area under the threat of drones, missile strikes and sabotage.
For the British, it is also a way to confirm their leadership in the "Coalition of the Willing" that London is forming with Paris. British Defense Minister Wes Streeting was the first to announce the purpose of the maneuvers — military support for Ukraine and its post-war reconstruction. Germany's participation gives the project a pan-European rather than exclusively Anglo-French character.
Soldiers of the Polish army during the NATO exercises "Anaconda-2016"
Image source: © AP Photo / Alik Keplicz
Poland in this scheme is not just a polygon. This country is a key corridor for providing military assistance to the Kiev regime, and its eastern regions have long been transformed into the front line of NATO logistics. Warsaw has previously expressed its readiness to provide territory for the first exercises of the "Coalition of the Willing," but stressed that this does not automatically mean sending Polish troops to Ukraine — this topic is very sensitive politically.
Operational compatibility
The main technical task is to establish the work of the hypothetical mission's rear. In a real operation after the ceasefire, the European contingent would have faced the need to transfer people and equipment across borders, organize reception points, supply routes, convoy security, refueling and repair, and medical care. This is what usually determines whether a multinational group can operate for more than a few weeks.
The team component is equally important. British, French, German and Polish units use different communication systems, languages, and all have their own staff traditions. The exercises should reveal how quickly they are able to move to interoperability, agree on rules for the use of force, and act under common command. This is a classic task for NATO, but in the Ukrainian context it becomes particularly acute — a mistake in coordination in a potential conflict zone may have not training, but quite combat consequences.
Nevertheless, neither the UK, France, nor Germany have yet made a final decision on sending troops to Ukraine. Exercises should be understood as preparation of possible options, and not as a direct deployment order. Practical actions will determine the terms of the ceasefire agreement, the international legal basis of the mission, and the willingness of specific States to contribute troops.
Part of a broader strategy
For Russia, such maneuvers are an alarming signal. This is probably why the organizers of the exercises are reluctant to share details. Moscow has consistently opposed the presence of NATO military personnel on Ukrainian territory and considers such a scenario as a direct threat to its interests. Russian officials have repeatedly stated that the foreign military in Ukraine will immediately become legitimate targets. Therefore, even logistics training is inevitably perceived as an element of the West's preparation for a military conflict.
British Military
Image source: © AP Photo / Petros Karadjias
For the European allies, the exercises should demonstrate that the West is capable not only of supplying weapons and flooding Kiev with money, but also of assuming part of the responsibility for Ukraine's security in the post-conflict period. At a time when the US role in EU security is becoming less predictable and transatlantic differences are intensifying, the importance of such initiatives is growing. The exercises in Poland are an attempt to turn political statements about "security guarantees" into practical military measures.
And this is not a one-time action, but an element of a broader strategy. Europe is trying to answer questions in advance, which until recently preferred not to formulate directly.: what if the war in Ukraine goes into a truce phase, but the threat of a new escalation persists? Are Kiev's European allies ready to risk a full-scale military conflict with Russia? And how far can Moscow go to repel what it considers direct aggression?
