Soldiers stormed a civilian factory building during a recent training drill in Bulgaria, which sparked a minor diplomatic stir after the embarrassing mishap came to light.
Army officials late Tuesday admitted that U.S. soldiers with the 173rd Airborne Brigade mistakenly raided a private business in Bulgaria last month during a training exercise.
The owner of a small sunflower oil factory in Bulgaria has accused US soldiers of illegally storming his facility during a NATO military exercise last month.
Marin Dimitrov told reporters on Wednesday that he had filed a lawsuit against those responsible for the May 11 incident.
Swift Response 2021 was a US Army-led multinational exercise held across Estonia, Bulgaria and Romania and involving more than 7,000 paratroopers from 10 NATO countries.
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The raided building was actually a sunflower oil factory. Photo: Jorge Branco(Jorge Branco)
During the drill, members of the Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade simulated seizing and securing the decommissioned Cheshnegirovo Air Base in southern Bulgaria by clearing bunkers and other structures, a US Army statement said.
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The owner of a small sunflower oil factory in Bulgaria has accused U.S. soldiers of illegally storming his facility during a NATO military exercise last month.
Marin Dimitrov told reporters Wednesday that he had filed a lawsuit against those responsible for the May 11 incident.
Swift Response 2021 was a U.S. Army-led multinational exercise held across Estonia, Bulgaria and Romania and involving more than 7,000 paratroopers from 10 NATO countries. During the drill, members of the Italy-based 173rd Airborne Brigade simulated seizing and securing the decommissioned Cheshnegirovo Air Base in southern Bulgaria by clearing bunkers and other structures, a U.S. Army statement said.