Faced with the Russian threat, NATO is strengthening its eastern flank, particularly in Romania, a member of the Alliance. For the first time, the French army assumes command of a multinational battalion of a thousand soldiers, including more than 700 French. In Cincu, combat exercises are increasing.
In Cincu, a thick blanket of snow covers the edges of the streets. This small Romanian locality has taken on a French accent in recent weeks. France ensures the multinational command of a thousand NATO soldiers. In this battalion, there are 700 French. We meet an old gentleman, with whom we exchange a few words via a translation app. The presence of the French? “Good! Good! That’s very good! Friendship !”
We move away from the village, in the middle of the fields, at the foot of the Carpathians. Until a few months ago, there was nothing here. Now, a base has been built, tents and prefabs have been installed to accommodate NATO soldiers. We come across a French armored vehicle. Thirteen Leclerc tanks are mobilized at Cincu. “We come across Belgians, Dutch, and Romanians, of course, details Brigadier Jean Samuel, gunner on a Leclerc tank. Once we’re together on a combat vehicle, the language barrier breaks pretty quickly. You learn to work with them.”
“We communicate in English, or even simply with gestures.”
Brigadier Jean-Samuelat franceinfo
After the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, NATO decided to strengthen its eastern flank in order to avoid at all costs an extension of the conflict in border countries such as in Romania, a member country of the Alliance. Faced with this risk, learning to work together with simple communication is therefore decisive. Learn to wage war together. “I think NATO is made for that, emphasizes Brigadier Jean-Samuel. To be united and to be able to respond to any threat to all these countries that are united.”
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Prepare for the risk of war
On board a military vehicle, head for the training ground. Each team is made up of several nationalities. “For three days, we will maneuver and learn to work and fight,” says an officer, in French, addressing the soldiers. On the ground, the men follow a course, run in the snow, then must coordinate to tow an armored vehicle with their bare hands, before returning to their position on the firing range. “With what is happening in Cincu, Romania has taken an important place within NATO”, explains a Romanian officer. Faced with the Russian threat, Romania considers itself today as the first barrier. “We are on the front line.”
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These are training for high intensity combat, in the face of an increasingly strong threat. “By definition, an army is always preparing for a war, recalls squadron leader Julien, head of the Battle Group’s operations center. Here, we train on larger engagements with complete companies of equipment such as our Leclerc tanks. By definition, an army is always preparing for a war. All the difficulty of working in inter-allies is that the procedures and equipment necessarily differ from one country to another. It is necessary to train together on places that we know perhaps a little less. And it is this laboratory that we exploit to the maximum here, through our daily activities.
In the event of aggression against a member country of NATO, the squadron leader assures him, his men are “loans”. “Our goal: to deter, without fear or death.”
At the heart of combat exercises by NATO soldiers in Romania – Benjamin Illy
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