Members of the elite 101st Airborne Division of the US Army will be deployed to Europe to strengthen the defense of NATO’s eastern flank, the US representation in the North Atlantic Alliance announced on Twitter.
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“After 80 years, the 101st Airborne Division, known as the Screaming Eagles, is returning to Europe,” the statement said.
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According to the military, about 2.4 thousand soldiers will be deployed in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia.
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The 101st Airborne Division of the US Army took part in World War II operations in the Western European theater of operations. Participated in the Normandy landings, Operation Market Garden.
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In 1965, the brigade of the 101st division participated in the Vietnam War, in 2003 it took part in the invasion of Iraq.
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At the end of June, the leaders of the NATO countries at the summit in Madrid agreed to increase the size of the alliance’s rapid reaction force by almost eight times – up to 300 thousand people. Now it is 40 thousand fighters, who should be ready to start combat missions within 15 days.
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the increase would take place in 2023. He explained that the countries of the alliance will prepare and finance these forces for the defense of certain territories in the east. NATO forces will be deployed in different countries to defend specific areas of the territory of the alliance members. The bloc plans to place heavy equipment and weapons on the border with Russia.
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US President Joe Biden said at the same time that the US military presence in Europe would be strengthened, the deployment of US troops would change to meet modern realities.
