Daugavpils (Latvia) May 17, 2025 (ANI): NATO's paratroopers carried out a high-profile airborne operation near the Belarus border in Latvia on Friday (May 16) as part of "Swift Response 25" military drills, aimed at showcasing the alliance's readiness to defend its eastern flank. The exercise involved Spanish Army Airbus A400M aircraft dropping cargo and paratroopers in Daugavpils in southeastern Latvia, close to the country's border with Belarus. Latvian National Guard 3rd Brigade Commander Gunars Vizulis said the exercises were NATO's message and assurance that they were ready to defend their country.Swift Response 25, a multinational exercise, is part of NATO's larger DEFENDER 25, focusing on airborne operations, rapid infiltration, and multi-domain capabilities. The exercise includes five nearly simultaneous airborne insertions and HIRAIN (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Rapid Infiltration) training across several countries including Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and Finland from May 11-31, 2025.
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00:00NATO's paratroopers carried out a high-profile airborne operation near the Belarus border
00:12in Latvia on Friday, May 16, as part of Swift Response 25 military drills aimed at showcasing
00:20the Alliance's readiness to defend its eastern flank.
00:24The exercise involved Spanish Army Airbus, a 400M aircraft, dropping cargo and paratroopers
00:30in Dagavpils in southeastern Latvia, close to the country's border with Belarus.
00:36Latvian National Guard 3rd Brigade Commander Gunars Vizulis said the exercises were NATO's
00:41message and assurance that they were ready to defend their country.
00:44The Swift Response exercises cover not only airborne operations but also involve medical
00:51operations and significant training for medical personnel.
00:55We are on the eastern border.
00:57We are on the border with our unfriendly neighbors.
01:00These exercises are both our assurance and our message to our own community, the NATO community,
01:06and our neighbors.
01:07We are ready to defend our land.
01:09And this land will be defended not only by Latvian soldiers but also by NATO soldiers who are located
01:15quite far away.
01:17The, obviously, you know, it's pretty exciting for all of us, you know, to move very far from
01:24home and, you know, to be able to perform an airborne assault, whatever we are called.
01:30Swift Response 25, a multinational exercise, is part of NATO's larger Defender 25, focusing
01:37on airborne operations, rapid infiltration, and multi-domain capabilities.
01:42The exercise includes five nearly simultaneous airborne insertions and high-rain, high-mobility
01:48artillery rocket system rapid infiltration, training across several countries including
01:53Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and Finland from May 11th to 31st, 2025.
02:01you
02:12and
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02:14and
02:16you
02:26can we go?
02:28yes
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02:32yes
02:34and
02:36the
02:38this
02:40is
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02:50have
02:52We'll see you next time.