The United States has begun training Ukrainian troops on howitzer artillery systems and radars at U.S. military installations in Germany, a senior Pentagon spokesman said Friday.
Efforts will be based on initial artillery training given to a small number of Ukrainian forces elsewhere, and will also include training on radar systems and armored vehicles that the United States recently promised Kyiv, spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
The Florida National Guard will provide “most of the training,” as those forces trained Ukrainian troops before being withdrawn from Ukraine before Russia’s February 24 invasion, Kirby said.
“The recent reunion of these Florida National Guard members with their Ukrainian counterparts, we were told, was an emotional reunion given the strong bonds they formed while living and working together before temporarily splitting in February,” Kirby said.
The United States is training another 100 Ukrainians on howitzer artillery systems in Europe in a five-day course, according to the Pentagon. Washington has said it will send a total of 90 howitzers to the affected country as part of two $ 800 million security aid packages announced earlier this month.
Another 15 Ukrainians have been training on radar for about a week.
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The troops will then return to Ukraine to teach their allies how to use the systems.
Kirby also noted that Germany is one of “approximately three” sites used by the United States to train Ukrainians outside their country, but he did not want to say where the other sites are.
The United States is also considering conducting virtual training with Ukrainians at some defense facilities, Kirby said.
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