The U.S. military started new, more sophisticated, combat training for Ukrainian forces in Germany on Jan. 15. The aim is to train a battalion of approximately 500 to be ready to confront Russian adversaries within the next eight weeks.
According to chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, who oversees the operation, Ukrainian troops left for training in Germany a few days ago. Milley is planning to visit the Grafenwoehr training area on Jan. 16. A range of weapons and equipment will be at the troops disposal.
So far, the Pentagon has not confirmed when exactly training would commence.
Ukrainian troops will undergo combined arms training so they can launch an offensive or counter the Russian forces. This includes learning improved maneuverability and coordination of company and battalion-sized units during combat that is aided by artillery, armor, and ground forces.
Milley told reporters that the elaborate training exercise will play an instrumental role in securing the return of Russian-occupied territory to Ukraine.
“This support is really important for Ukraine to be able to defend itself. And we’re hoping to be able to pull this together here in short order,” he told the reporters who were travelling with him from Europe.
He emphasized the importance of delivering both weapons and equipment to Ukraine before the onset of the spring rains, which he thinks would be ideal.
The latest directive follows intense fighting in the eastern part of the Donetsk region. Russian troops have allegedly gained control of the small salt-mining town of Soledar. Ukraine says that if Russian forces manage to take control of Soledar, this could affect Ukrainian efforts to retake the city of Bakhmut, which has been subject to heavy combat for months.
The cities of Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Dnipro in the country’s south-east, have been subject to a barrage of missile strikes. A recent attack on an apartment building in Dnipro left 30 people dead.
According to Milley, his visit aims at ensuring the training is going as planned, to supplement any additional equipment that may be needed, as well as coordinate timing for equipment deliveries accordingly.
Initial training includes classroom instruction for the troops, followed by field exercises that encompass smaller units, and then gradually build up to more complex combat exercises that involve an entire battalion and HQ unit simultaneously.
So far, the United States has mainly focused on providing battlefield assistance, largely aimed at training Ukrainian troops in the use of Western weapons systems. The Biden administration recently approved a further $3 billion in weapons, the biggest since the start of the conflict.
Additional weapons have also been promised by Britain, Poland, and France, with pressure on Germany by Ukraine to follow suit.
To date, the United States has trained more than 3,100 Ukrainian troops in the use and maintenance of certain weapons and equipment. This includes howitzers, armored vehicles, and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, known as HIMARS. Other countries provide similar training for weapons that they have supplied.
In a statement last month, Pentagon press secretary, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder stressed that the fundamental goal is to “be able to give them this advanced level of collective training that enables them to conduct effective combined arms operations and maneuver on the battlefield.”
According to Milley, training of this sort is not new and has been on-going since before the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. However, Russia’s invasion prompted all U.S. military units to depart from Ukraine. He added that the new program will simply be a continuation of previous efforts, with other European allies offering similar training.
The training program was first announced last November when it was reported that the U.S. government would be increasing its previously small-scale instruction of Ukrainian forces to as many as 2,500 soldiers a month.
Milley’s visit is underlined by additional plans to meet with European counterparts. He also said that he will be taking part in a planning conference with NATO allies and Ukrainian military officials. A gathering of the Ukraine Contact Group, which is comprised of countries in support of Ukraine, is scheduled for Friday. The meeting will be attended by Milley alongside Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
