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Poland tests border protection in major exercise

Poland’s Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak inspects Polish and other troops during the opening ceremony of major international Anakonda-14 defense exercise at the National Defense Academy in Warsaw-Rembertow district, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. The 10-day exercise of the army, navy and air force from Poland, U.S. Canada and six other countries from northern and eastern Europe is to test their readiness to jointly react to security threats at a time of armed conflict in Ukraine that also involves Russia. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Poland’s Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak inspects Polish and other troops during the opening ceremony of major international Anakonda-14 defense exercise at the National Defense Academy in Warsaw-Rembertow district, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. The 10-day exercise of the army, navy and air force from Poland, U.S. Canada and six other countries from northern and eastern Europe is to test their readiness to jointly react to security threats at a time of armed conflict in Ukraine that also involves Russia. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) Poland’s Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak inspects Polish and other troops during the opening ceremony of major international Anakonda-14 defense exercise at the National Defense Academy in Warsaw-Rembertow district, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. The 10-day exercise of the army, navy and air force from Poland, U.S. Canada and six other countries from northern and eastern Europe is to test their readiness to jointly react to security threats at a time of armed conflict in Ukraine that also involves Russia. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

By Associated Press 2 min read

WARSAW, Poland (AP) – Poland launched a major military exercise with international allies on Wednesday to test joint response to security threats at a time of armed conflict in neighboring Ukraine.

Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said the original plan for the biannual Anakonda exercise was to involve only Polish command officers.

But because of the Ukraine-Russia crisis and general fears that the conflict could spread to bordering countries, he decided it should have wider participation and should test collective defense readiness in accordance with NATO guidelines.

The Anakonda-14 exercise involves 12,500 troops, including about 750 from the U.S., Canada, Britain, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Hungary, as well as Lithuania and Estonia, which border Russia.

“Poland’s biggest military exercise, Anakonda, has acquired special significance due to the events in Ukraine,” Siemoniak said during the opening ceremony at the National Defense Academy.