Ukrainian Troops to Get “Expanded Training” from US Over “Slower” Winter Months

By Staff, Agencies

Washington will take advantage of the slower winter months to expand military combat training for Ukrainian forces, instructing larger units in more complex battle skills, US officials said Thursday.

The US has already trained over 3,000 Ukrainian troops on how to use and maintain certain weapons and other equipment, but senior military leaders for months have stressed the need to improve the ability of Ukraine’s army to coordinate attacks against Russian invaders. 

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder of the US Air Force told reporters that the US expects to train about 500 Ukrainian troops each month, beginning in January. He added that it would not likely require additional US forces.

The training will take place in Germany and will aim to use the winter season to hone the skills of the Ukrainian forces so they can be better prepared to counter any spike in Russian attacks – as was seen Friday, when a fresh barrage of deadly Russian strikes hit major cities in Ukraine, piling pressure on the grid in sub-zero temperatures.

US officials said the Pentagon views the expansion of training as a logical next step for Ukrainian troops, and that it would mirror the types of training that US forces get at War Department training centers, including classroom instruction and fieldwork.

Until now, the US focus has been on providing Ukrainian forces with “immediate battlefield needs” as they defend their war-torn country. 

“Now as we continue to see Ukraine make progress in terms of pushing Russia back,” said Ryder, “the idea here 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.”