Border defence tested at Slovak Shield exercise

The military exercise dubbed Slovenský štít (or Slovak Shield) 2019, aimed at carrying out tasks involved in the defence of the state border, has concluded after two weeks of testing. The exercise was conducted at the Lešť and Kolíňanský vrch training centres and saw the participation of about 2,800 soldiers, it was reported on Tuesday. Speaking after the conclusion of the exercise, Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš characterised Slovak Shield 2019 as the most important national exercise that the Slovak armed forces would undergo this year. "Our professional troops, along with their counterparts from the Visegrad Four countries [Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia], Portugal and the United States, have tested their state of readiness in challenging conditions," said the defence minister. Chief of the General Staff Daniel Zmeko stated that the exercise had yielded a number of findings that would be put into practice and implemented in the 2020 planning processes. He added that it was not only the Slovak Armed Forces that were involved, but also the military police and elements of military intelligence.