The soldiers of the Airmobile Brigade in Assen are participating in a ‘defense and deterrence mission’. The immediate cause is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The group of soldiers who left this morning from the Johan Willem Friso barracks relieve another unit. “We end up in a spread out bed,” says company commander-major Jan Bethlehem.
“With our presence, we provide deterrence and send a message to Russia that they should not venture even one centimeter into NATO territory,” he continues. “That’s a hard line for us.”
According to Bethlehem, it is special that such a mission takes place at a relatively short distance from the Netherlands. “This mission comes very close, because it is a direct result of the threat Europe is experiencing.”
The soldiers from Assen can prepare for a harsh winter in Romania. The continental climate means that it can get very cold in winter, with temperatures quickly dropping to -10 degrees Celsius.
This makes it fundamentally different from missions in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan, although that is not the only difference. “In Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers were in immediate danger when they walked out of the barracks gate, that is different in Romania,” says Brigadier General Cas Schreurs. “The threat in Romania is over the horizon, I’ll just say. But the Romanians themselves do feel that threat. People I spoke to before are grateful that we are here as the Netherlands. They say that too, despite the fact that we practice a lot there. rather than end up in gunfights, it’s just as important that we’re there.”
The Dutch army and allies are keeping a close eye on Russia’s movements, says Schreurs. “The conflict appears to be confined to Ukraine, but we are monitoring that closely.”
In the weeks leading up to the mission in Romania, the military had already been busy practicing. But the last days before departure are all about spending time with family. Major Bethlehem has mainly spent time with his wife and children in the last week before departure. “We went away for a weekend and did fun things together. Still enjoying each other for a while, before I’m away from home for four months.”
Watch here the departure of the military to Eindhoven Airport for the mission to Romania: