From Pontevedra to Lešť: a report on the Spanish soldiers of the BRILAT in Slovakia

In January 2024, the Spanish Army began its deployment at Camp Slavia, in Lešť, in the Banská Bystrica region, Slovakia.

The deployment of the Cervus anti-drone system of the RAAA 71 of the Spanish Army in Slovakia
The Spanish Army's broad participation in a large military parade in Slovakia

This deployment is one of the strategic consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the threat it poses to peace in Europe, a threat that NATO faced by reinforcing its contingents in the countries on the eastern flank of the Alliance. The first Spanish deployment in Slovakia, called F-E/SVK I (East Flank Slovakia I), was led by the Battalion "Zamora" I/29 of the Brigade "Galicia" VII (BRILAT), based in Figueirido (Pontevedra).

This first contingent, made up of 50 soldiers who flew to Slovakia from Santiago de Compostela Airport, had the mission of establishing the necessary conditions to carry out the transition of leadership of the mission between the Czech Republic and Spain, being the first time that the Spanish Army leads a NATO Multinational Brigade. The deployment continued with the loading of vehicles and material at the port of Vigo on February 12, bound for Koper, Slovenia, from where they were transferred to Lešť. The deployment was completed in mid-March, adding some 700 soldiers, 250 vehicles and 30 containers with various equipment and material.

On 1 July, the Spanish contingent assumed command of this NATO Multinational Brigade, a historic moment celebrated with a ceremony attended by the Chief of the Defence Staff (JEMAD), Admiral General Teodoro E. López Calderón, and his counterparts from the Czech Republic, Lieutenant General Karel Rehka, and Slovakia, General Daniel Zmeko, as well as the President of the Republic of Slovakia, Peter Pellegrini, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Slovakia, Robert Kalinak.

In mid-July, the 6th Parachute Brigade 'Almogávares' (BRIPAC) took over from the BRILAT in Slovakia. A ceremony was held in which Colonel Andres González Alvarado, from the BRILAT, handed over command of this NATO Multinational Brigade to Colonel Francisco Calvo Rodríguez, from the BRIPAC. The Battalion "Zamora" brought with it the first Spanish flag raised on this mission in Slovakia, which now flies at the Headquarters of that Battalion in Pontevedra.

Currently, Spain contributes 800 soldiers to this NATO unit, which is also made up of soldiers from Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, the United States, Portugal and the Czech Republic, countries that provide the rest of the contingent, totaling 1,100 soldiers. Today, the Army has published a video about this deployment of the BRILAT in Slovakia, which shows the development of the mission and some of the activities carried out by Spanish soldiers in that country, including the monitoring of the Euro 2024 final on July 14, which ended in a victory for Spain over England (the video is in Spanish, you can activate automatic English subtitles in the bottom bar of the player):

---

Photos: Estado Mayor de la Defensa.