American armed forces have begun training Ukrainian soldiers to use advanced weapons systems in Germany, the Pentagon revealed on Friday.
In a Washington press briefing, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said that the United States had come to an agreement with Germany to begin training programmes for Ukrainian soldiers.
The Florida National Guard has been tasked with the “bulk” of the training, which will show a group of Ukrainian troops how to use advanced weapons such as howitzers, radar systems, and armoured vehicles.
“Today, I can announce that the United States has commenced training with the Ukrainian Armed Forces on key systems at U.S. military installations in Germany. Now, these efforts build on the initial artillery training that Ukraine’s forces already have received elsewhere, and also includes training on the radar systems and armoured vehicles that have been recently announced as part of security assistance packages,” Kirby said.
“This new training effort in Germany and at other locations in Europe is in direct support of recent U.S. security assistance packages that are designed to help Ukraine win their battles today and build strength for tomorrow. These new systems and the associated training… will strengthen Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia’s renewed offensive in Eastern Ukraine,” the Pentagon spokesman continued.
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U.S. Restarts National Guard Training Mission for Ukrainian Soldiers
The Pentagon announced Friday that elements of the Florida National Guard had resumed their training mission with the Ukrainian military for the first time since Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered their withdrawal in the days before the Russian invasion in February.
Based now in Germany and at two other locations the Pentagon on Friday refused to specify, the trainers will continue the 8-year-old mission that previously took place at a base outside the western Ukrainian city of Lviv by other deployed Guard units along with soldiers from the militaries of the U.K., Canada, Latvia and other allied countries.
Though not a dramatic policy shift in itself – U.S. trainers as of this month were already working with their Ukrainian counterparts at facilities outside Ukraine to teach them on new weaponry the Biden administration is sending into the conflict zone – the move represents a symbolic evolution in the resurging U.S. support for Ukraine despite the omnipresent risk of provoking Russia into expanding its war.
Indeed, the Guardsmen and Ukrainian soldiers had an “emotional” reunion after the mission restarted, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Friday afternoon.
“We should not forget the importance of this long-term training relationship,” Kirby said. The training, formed in the aftermath of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and occupation of eastern Ukraine in 2014, “really helped transform them off of Soviet-era doctrine and Soviet-era formation.”
via joemiller
