Large-scale maneuvers of Gelezinis Vilkas 2019 - II with the participation of about 4 thousand troops from 11 NATO member states and over 1 thousand units of military equipment began on Monday in Lithuania, TASS reported.

The purpose of the maneuvers is to develop the interaction of the forces and means for the effective planning and implementation of combat missions, said the command of the Lithuanian Army.

The military personnel of Belgium, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the US, Czech Republic and Estonia take part in maneuvers. Some of them are part of the forward-based NATO combined battalion stationed in Lithuania.

The drills will take place at the Lithuanian Army training ground, where the US Armed Forces battalion arrived  in October, which included about 500 troops, 30 Abrams tanks and 25 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. Other military equipment from places of permanent deployment to the training area will be followed by civilian freeways accompanied by military police. The main part of the drills will last until November 18.