Between 12th and 27th June 2025, this year´s edition of multinational tactical exercise ´Platinum Wolf´ (Платинасти вук) took place at Base South training grounds, in the vicinity of Bujanovac, Serbia. The training was organised by the Serbian Armed Forces with support of the US European Command (USEUCOM).
The exercise involved more than 700 military personnel from Serbia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States. For the first time, training scenarios that involved medical assistance and evacuation, as well as related crisis situations, were supported by the Balkan Medical Task Force international organisation.
This year´s edition of the multinational training was organised by the 4th Army Brigade (4. бригада Копнене војске), a mixed mechanised infantry and armoured unit of the Serbian Army. The Brigade was responsible for planning and execution of Platinum Wolf 25, in cooperation with the Multinational Operations Pre-Deployment Training Centre (Центар за обуку јединица за мултинационалне операције) of the Serbian Armed Forces.
´The goal of this exercise is to improve interoperability and mutual understanding between the armies of partner countries in performing tasks in a multinational environment in peace support operations,´ – said Colonel Miodrag Mladenović, Deputy Commander of the 4th Army Brigade and exercise director.
Platinum Wolf 25 was held at several locations within the Base South, Borovac training ground and Vrtogoš shooting range. There, the exercise participants practiced a series of tactical scenarios – from securing bases and convoys, through patrolling and searching the terrain, to urban combat. During the training, the multinational ground forces were being actively supported by helicopter units of the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence (Ратно ваздухопловство и противваздухопловна одбрана Војске Србије).
On the penultimate day, the exercise was visited by the Serbian Deputy Army Commander, Major General Zoran Dragićević, representatives of the Armed Forces of the participating countries and the military-diplomatic corps.
Director of the Joint Staff at Ohio National Guard, Brigadier General Jeffrey Watkins, said he was grateful for the opportunity for members of the US Armed Forces to participate in Platinum Wolf exercise this year and to train together with their colleagues from Serbia.
´It is important that we practise together to see what our capabilities are, to use equipment together and practise tactics, techniques and procedures, and you could see during the exercise that we are creating cohesion and strong teams between the participants,´ – Watkins emphasized.
It should be mentioned that Ohio National Guard is a regular participant of the Platinum Wolf series of exercises. Moreover, the Serbian South Base training ground was equipped primarily through USEUCOM´s donations for peacekeeping operations.
´This peacekeeping operations exercise plays a critical role in meeting training requirements and preparing our forces for real-world peacekeeping missions. Platinum Wolf has been a cornerstone of our bilateral cooperation and is a notable priority for both Serbian and U.S militaries. We hope to see the Platinum Wolf Exercise continue for years to come and to find new ways to challenge our armed forces, enhance their capabilities, and improve their readiness,´ – said Paul Jukic, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Serbia.
Platinum Wolf exercises, jointly organised by the Serbian Armed Forces and USEUCOM, are hosted by Serbia since 2014. Their importance is reflected in increasing capabilities of the participating nations for engagement in multinational operations.
All photos and quotations © Министарство одбране Републике Србије / MoD Republic of Serbia, except the quotation of Paul Jukic © US Embassy in Serbia. Serbian MoD press releases were used.
