Rozvadov, West Bohemia, Sept 13 (CTK) – All six parts of the U.S. military convoy that is crossing the Czech Republic on its way from Bavaria to a NATO exercise in Hungary have gradually entered the country via the Rozvadov border crossing, the last part at about 15:00.
The convoy of a total of 150 vehicles and 550 troops is to complete their transit via the Czech Republic on Monday.
Its six parts have entered Czech territory with hour-long intervals. The first of them, comprised of 20 vehicles, crossed the border before 09:00.
At the border crossing, the soldiers were only awaited by a Czech police patrol and a few journalists.
Further along the convoy’s route, groups of people photographed and videoed the U.S. soldiers.
With the local road traffic being calm on Sunday, the convoy proceeded smoothly eastwards along the D5 motorway, accompanied by police cars.
The U.S. soldiers refuelled their vehicles at the Czech motorway police petrol station in Ostrov u Stribra, where they were welcomed by about 50 fans, some wearing U.S. military uniforms.
The police have not had to solve any problems related to the U.S. military transit, Josef Bocan, from the Police Presidium, told CTK.
The soldiers from the U.S. military’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment are heading from their home base in Vilseck, Bavaria, to NATO’s Brave Warrior exercise in Hungary.
Their Czech route leads from Rozvadov via Plzen, past Prague and Brno to Vyskov and the easternmost border-crossing in Lanzhot, where they will leave the country for Slovakia on Monday.
The convoy reached Vyskov, the south Moravian seat of the Czech Military Academy, on Sunday.
On Monday, the soldiers plan to set out for Lanzhot only at 18:00 in order to avoid the traffic peak.
On September 9-10, an advance unit crossed the Czech Republic to prepare the route for the main part of the U.S. convoy.
