August M
Germany plans to draw directly on Ukraine’s battlefield experience as it prepares its military for potential future conflict. Ukrainian soldiers who have fought Russian forces will soon begin training German troops.
The arrangement marks a shift in roles after years in which Western armies trained Ukrainian forces following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
Germany and Ukraine reached an agreement last month allowing Ukrainian instructors to teach at German army training schools, Reuters reported.
Lessons from the front
Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, the German army chief, said Berlin expects the Ukrainian trainers to provide valuable insights gained from combat against Russian forces.
“We have high expectations,” Freuding told Reuters in an interview.
“The Ukrainian military is currently the only one in the world with frontline experience against Russia.”
According to Freuding, the first group of Ukrainian instructors will likely number in the “middle double-digits” and will spend several weeks at a time in Germany.
Preparing for 2029
The training initiative is linked to Germany’s effort to ensure its armed forces are prepared to help defend NATO territory if Russia poses a threat in the coming years.
Freuding referenced intelligence assessments suggesting Moscow could potentially be ready for a large-scale confrontation with NATO by 2029.
“That’s almost the day after tomorrow. We have no time – the enemy doesn’t wait for us to declare we’re ready. So we have to use every possibility to prepare,” he said.
Russia has repeatedly denied plans to attack NATO countries, although Western officials note that Moscow made similar statements before launching its invasion of Ukraine.
Sharing combat knowledge
Ukrainian trainers are expected to provide expertise in areas such as artillery operations, engineering, armoured warfare, drone usage and command structures.
Freuding, who took over as German army chief in October after previously coordinating Berlin’s weapons deliveries to Kyiv, said Ukraine has developed new battlefield approaches during the war.
He pointed to advances in data-driven warfare, where military units rely on highly connected digital systems to coordinate operations.
“The fact that they are now coming to us as instructors reflects a security partnership on an equal footing,” Freuding said.
Sources: Reuters
