(AP) – Military officers and soldiers from 25 countries launched exercises in Ukraine on Oct. 10 aimed at practicing a response to a theoretical chemical attack launched by terrorists, the Defense Ministry said.
The four-day exercises, dubbed Joint Assistance 2005, began with a mock terrorist attack on a chemical facility and the release of poisonous gasses over a wide area.
During the second phase of the drill, the troops will practice disaster management in the aftermath of the mock attack, the ministry said.
“The scenario will allow Ukrainian experts and consequence management teams from other nations to perform chemical reconnaissance, decontamination measures, temporary evacuation, provision of life support to affected population and the delivery of medical care,” the ministry said in a statement.
The exercise is being conducted under the aegis of NATO’s Partnership for Peace program, NATO’s Disaster Response Coordination Center and the Netherlands-based Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons.
Five drills with similar scenarios were held earlier in Ukraine, Croatia, Russia, Romania and Uzbekistan.
