On January 25 soldiers of the Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion, Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf, Lithuanian Armed Forces are deployed to carry out the military training operation in Ukraine. The contingent including 12 officers and NCOs will help train Ukrainian soldiers alongside U.S., Canadian and Polish military instructors for two months at the Yavoriv Training Area in Western Ukraine.
The Lithuanian officers deployed to the training operation will assess abilities of staff personnel of a Ukrainian unit and provide consultations on planning different operations. Non-commissioned officers will focus on supervision and consulting of infantry platoons, snipers and automatic grenade-launcher operators' combat training delivered by Ukrainian instructors.
Upholding the tradition, in the deployment ceremony state flag of Lithuania was presented to the officer in command of the contingent to guide the unit on the mission and to be flown during the upcoming most outstanding state holidays.
It is the second time servicemembers with the Uhlan Battalion are deployed to train Ukrainian soldiers. In 2015 the Battalion provided troops for training the National Guard of Ukraine for two months.
Instructors of the Lithuanian Armed Forces have been assisting in training Ukrainian soldiers since August 2015. Lithuanian military are not directly involved in combat actions and are not deployed to the Antiterrorist Operation area in Ukraine. On 1 July 2017 Lithuania established the National Military Training Operation in Ukraine, mandated by the Seimas of Lithuania to have up to 60 soldiers deployed to train the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Lithuania's military instructors have been assisting in training Ukrainian forces since August 2015.
The Lithuanian military training operation encompasses the participation of Lithuanian military instructors in bilateral and multilateral initiatives of training the Armed Forces of Ukraine, ongoing for the third year. Continuous cooperation with Ukraine remains among Lithuania's top foreign and defence policy priorities: Lithuania supports Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations, assists it in achieving its objectives regrading NATO standards and contributes to strengthening its defence capabilities.
Photos credits: Lithuanian Armed Forces
