Undeterred by the coronavirus, Polish troops are training intensely in the northeast of the country together with their NATO allies, officials have said.

The joint maneuvers, codenamed Tumak-20, are being held at an exercise site near the northeastern town of Orzysz, the country’s defence minister announced on Wednesday.

The main aim is to test the readiness of soldiers to perform tasks and to raise their training level while following health safety protocols amid the pandemic, Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said.

He added that a total of 5,000 soldiers were taking part in the drills, including both Polish Army and territorial defence units and NATO allies stationed in Poland as part of efforts to strengthen the alliance’s eastern flank.