U.S. starts second phase of Ukrainian forces training and equipping mission 22411151

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Defence & Security News - United States
 
U.S. starts second phase of Ukrainian forces training and equipping mission
The United States has begun the second phase of its Fearless Guardian mission to train and equip Ukrainian forces, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said yesterday, Nov. 23, 2015. The United States has committed more than $265 million in equipment and training to the mission, Davis told reporters at the Pentagon.
     
U starts second phase of Ukrainian forces training and equipping mission 640 001US soldiers attend the opening ceremony of the joint Ukrainian-US military exercise 'Fearless Guardian' at the Yavoriv training ground in the western Ukrainian region of Lviv, on April 20, 2015
(Credit: AFP Photo/Genya Savilov)
     
The effort, which U.S. Congress approved in 2014, is to help Ukraine better monitor and secure its border, operate more safely and effectively, and preserve and enforce its territorial integrity, the spokesman said.

"This is part of our ongoing efforts to contribute to Ukraine's long-term military reform and professionalism, and to help improve Ukraine's internal defense capabilities and training capacity," Davis said.

The phase that began today will train up to five battalions of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense personnel and one battalion of special operations forces personnel, he said. U.S. forces just completed training Ukrainian national guard forces.

About 300 U.S. soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade are participating in the training, which is taking place in western Ukraine. NATO allies and other U.S. personnel are participating as well.

Davis said that in addition to the training, the United States will be working with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on a training center and other institution-level development.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense training will be conducted at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center at Yavoriv, and the special operations forces training will be conducted in Khmelnitsky.