OPERATION RISING BEAR
OPERATIONS ORDER - NATO RESPONSE FORCE BATTLE GROUP (NRF BG - "BG ARMINIUS") 1/14
Time Zone: BRAVO used throughout (Zulu + 2, Ukraine local time)
Situation
- GeneralIn 2013 the EU extended an invitation to the Ukraine to expand and consolidate its trade ties with Europe. This came at the conclusion of another round of successful NATO / Ukraine exercises during the "partnership for peace" co-operation programme. The Russian Federation viewed this with alarm as an continuation of the erosion of Mother Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union.
Most of the old Warsaw Pact members from Central and Eastern Europe had joined NATO and the Baltic States were flexing their independence.
The initial Russian response to this was escalating economic and diplomatic pressure on Ukraine to remain tied to Russia. Russia retained a military option should these initial soft options failed.
The EU and its friends responded by demanding that the Ukraine retain its sovereign right to self determination as in independent nation.
Currently the Russian Federation (RusFed) and NATO are at an impasse over the issue, with rolling demonstrations and other unrest within Ukraine being the key reportable activity.
This deterioration in relations has taken place over a few months and has allowed several NATO nations (particularly Great Britain, Canada and the United States) to freeze, and in some cases reverse, their earlier policies of force draw down out of Europe. Holdings of AFVs from these countries in Europe have started to grow again and force dispositions have returned to credible levels.
Major components of 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) have begun to concentrate at RAMSTEIN Air Base prior to potentially moving further East as required. Less mobile heavy forces have also begun to concentrate, augmenting the pre positioned European Activity Set. Many comments in the media have likened this to the earlier REFORGER (REturn of FORces to GERmany) activities.
Most of this is posturing though intended to dissuade RusFed forces from intervening directly.
NATO has formed a multinational Battle Group (BG) with Combat Teams (CT) from Canada, Germany, UK and USA supported by Artillery, Engineers and an Aviation CT. This NATO Response Force (NRF) has been designated BG ARMINIUS and forward based in KRAKOW, Poland and is the lead component of the heavy forces that continue to concentrate further West.
Recent reports indicate that inside Ukraine itself, the Ukranian Army (ZSU) has been mobilised in all but name and has taken up defensive positions with their largely Soviet era equipment.
[B]
- Enemy[/B]As you now know, some hours ago Russian Federation (RusFed) forces crossed the Ukraine/Russian border and appear to be making and initial thrust on SUMY, approx 350Km East of KIEV. The RusFed crossed the border as part of an attempt to forcibly bring Ukraine back under the control of MOSCOW.
Recent activity:
RusFed forces, assessed as being at reinforced Brigade strength, have hit the Ukrainian Army's (ZSU) first delay line and appear to be approaching SUMY on three avenues of approach (North, Centre and South), refer below:[B][/B]
The intent appears to be to seize the airport and other critical infrastructure within SUMY and use it as a base for further operations West towards KIEV.
Having secured SUMY the next set of objectives are assessed as being in the area of BILOPILLYA and subsequent objectives further West on the road to KIEV.
The most likely boundary between the Brigade's lead Battalions has been marked.
RusFed forces have used prodigious amounts of artillery to support their advance and appear to have access to large amounts of Frontal Aviation (fixed and rotary wing, attack and transport).
The Brigade lead echelon is equipped with T-90S and BMP-3 with a second echelon force using BTR-80 as its APC.
As a lead formation, the Brigade appears to have also been allocated elements of an Air Assault Battalion and some Spetsnaz resources.
- Friendly
Ukraine
The Armed Forces of Ukraine, (Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, (ZSU)) have been able to conduct a delay from the Eastern border, falling back on successive positions forward of SUMY.
Due to interoperability issues with comms equipment the picture is unclear but it is understood that the ZSU forces within sector consist of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Guards Armoured Brigade, a reinforced Tank Battalion with T-64, BMP-2, BTR-80, limited Artillery and Engineer support.
The last information supplied by the ZSU LO was that the Battalion had been ordered to establish a final delay line forward of SUMY to buy time for reserve demolitions of major river crossings and the demolition of some key infrastructure (which were assessed as RusFed objectives).
Despite the comms issues, some ZSU / NRF co-ordination has been conducted with the key results being:[INDENT=2]- ZSU forces to delay East of the Battle Handover Line.
- Route AJAX to remain open and priority given to ZSU traffic.
- Those ZSU forces that achieve a clean break to reconstitute East of BILOPILLYA.[/INDENT]
These co-ord measures and the last known ZSU scheme of manoeuvre is displayed below:

The political climate demands that ZSU forces be involved in any subsequent offensive action to regain SUMY or other Ukrainian territory.
NATO
As detailed earlier, the NRF BG has been pre positioned at KRAKOW in Poland. At the commencement of RusFed / ZSU hostilities, the BG was dispatched on a forced road march to close with and link up with the ZSU forces.
Currently the lead elements of the BG, the attached formation recce element, is some ten Km NE of BILOPILLYA and is siting the BG Assembly Area. The tail of the column, the forward air refuelling and rearming point (FARP) is some 30 Km further back, near VOROZHBA.
The BG's sub units have made the journey in good order, a testament to their crews and the maintenance schedules. The crews themselves though are suffering fatigue with more than one non battle casualty suffered to date due to vehicle accidents.
NATO provided the NRF BG with an air umbrella for the advance but the RusFed air elements did not contest its movement. This was seen as an attempt to avoid unnecessary escalation of what was currently still a "local" affair.
The Battle Group's structure comprises:[INDENT]1 x BG HQ based on Panzer battalion 203
1 x BG 2nd line echelon drawn from Panzer Brigade 21
1 x Artillery Battalion attached (PzArtBn 215)
1 x Attached Engineer grouping (from pzpiKp 200)
1 x Recce Sqn (-) with 3 x Recce Tp and 1 x Engr Recce element.
1 x German Tank Company (3:0 Tank:Mech) - CT ACHILLES
1 x US balanced Tank / Mech CT (2:2) - CT ODYSSEUS
1 x UK Infantry heavy CT (1:2) - CT PERSEUS
1 x Canadian Tank heavy CT (2:1) - CT HECTOR
1 x Aviation CT - providing Attack, Lift and heavy lift - CT PEGASUS[/INDENT]
This can be seen diagrammatically below:
Battle Group Headquarters

Echelon and Artillery

Engineer Support

Formation Recce - force assigned OPCON drawn from B Squadron, 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards (1st QDG) with a Troop from 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CAV) on attachment. Also attached an Engineer Recon detachment.
