Ukrainian military instructors will assist in preparing the German army, the Bundeswehr, to counter a potential Russian attack, according to a Reuters interview published Wednesday, March 11. The move reflects growing concerns within NATO about potential Russian aggression and a desire to bolster defensive capabilities.
The training initiative, agreed upon between Berlin and Kyiv last month, will initially involve a “double-digit number” of Ukrainian personnel working at German military schools for “several weeks,” said Lt. Gen. Christian Freuding, Inspector of the German Army. “We have high expectations,” Freuding stated. “Ukrainian soldiers are currently the only ones in the world with experience in combat operations against Russia.”
Ukrainian forces will share expertise in key areas such as artillery, armored operations, drone technology, and engineering, Freuding explained. This collaboration comes as Western intelligence assessments suggest Russia could be prepared for a large-scale attack on NATO by 2029. “This is almost the day after tomorrow. We don’t have time – the enemy won’t wait for us to declare our readiness. That’s why we have to use every opportunity to prepare,” Freuding added.
The arrangement builds on existing military cooperation between Germany, and Ukraine. Since October 2022, approximately 25,000 Ukrainian service members have received training in Germany as part of the European Union Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM), according to a representative of the Bundeswehr. Currently, Ukrainian soldiers are being trained on Leopard 1A5 main battle tanks and Biber armored bridge layers at a military training area in Saxony-Anhalt.
This isn’t the only area of collaboration. In December, Ukrainian drone manufacturer Frontline Robotics and German defense company Quantum Systems announced plans to begin producing combat drones for the Ukrainian military, establishing what will be Europe’s first fully automated drone production line. The move underscores Ukraine’s growing role as a key partner in European defense initiatives.
Earlier reports indicated that Ukrainian instructors would train Bundeswehr personnel in the use of drones, countering attacks, and utilizing mobile applications.
