Serbia hosted the annual multinational military exercise “Platinum Wolf 25” from June 12 to 27 at South Base near Bujanovac, with the participation of more than 700 troops from 12 countries, the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade said on Thursday.
Organised by the Serbian Armed Forces with support from the U.S. European Command, the exercise focused on enhancing interoperability and mutual understanding among participating armed forces through peacekeeping operations in a multinational environment.
Troops from Serbia, the United States, the United Kingdom, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Hungary, Greece, Italy, and Azerbaijan took part. Members of the Balkan Medical Task Force, a regional initiative for coordinated medical support, participated for the first time, contributing to medical assistance and evacuation drills in simulated crisis scenarios.
“This peacekeeping operations exercise plays a critical role in meeting training requirements and preparing our forces for real-world peacekeeping missions,” said Paul Jukic, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade. “Platinum Wolf has been a cornerstone of our bilateral cooperation and a priority for both the Serbian and U.S. militaries.”
Brigadier General Jeffrey Watkins, Ground Forces Commander of the Ohio National Guard, said the joint training with Serbian troops allowed for testing capabilities, joint equipment usage, and coordination of tactics and procedures. “As you could see during the exercise, we are building cohesion and strong teams among the participants,” Watkins said.
The drills included convoy security, base defence, patrol operations, area search, and checkpoint procedures. The exercise was held at Serbia’s South Base, a facility developed largely through donations from U.S. European Command for peacekeeping training.
Platinum Wolf has been held in Serbia annually since 2014, serving as a key platform for strengthening regional cooperation and building capacity for international peacekeeping missions.