The "Platinum Wolf 25" multinational tactical exercise took place at South Base near Bujanovac from June 12-27, 2025. Organized by the Serbian Armed Forces with support from the US European Command, the event aimed to enhance interoperability and understanding among armed forces of participating nations through peacekeeping training.
More than 700 soldiers participated in the exercise, including those from Serbia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, and the United States. For the first time, members of the Balkan Medical Task Force were involved in medical assistance and evacuation segments.
South Base was equipped mainly through donations from the U.S. European Command for peacekeeping operations. Paul Jukic, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy stated: “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.”
Brigadier General Jeffrey Watkins of the Ohio National Guard expressed gratitude for U.S. Armed Forces' participation alongside Serbian counterparts. He emphasized joint training's importance: “It is important that we train together to assess our capabilities, to use equipment jointly, and to practice tactics, techniques, and procedures. As you could see during the exercise, we are building cohesion and strong teams among the participants,” said General Watkins.
The exercise scenario included practicing peacekeeping tactics such as securing bases and convoys as well as patrolling activities like setting up blockades and conducting area searches.
Since its inception in 2014 in Serbia, Platinum Wolf exercises have provided opportunities for capacity building among participating countries’ armed forces.
A video from this year's exercise is available on the Embassy's Instagram page.