EU uses museum tanks to train Ukrainian troops for Russian tactics
Head of the EU Special Training Command Andreas Marlow (x.com/Deutsches_Heer)
European countries have deployed old Soviet tanks from museums to train Ukrainian troops in tactics often used by Russian soldiers, according to the head of the EU training mission, according to Lieutenant General Andreas Marlow, head of the EU's Special Training Command.
"These (museum) systems are in use on the Russian side, and they sometimes plant booby traps in abandoned gear," he said.
The use of such vehicles allows students to understand where and how to be cautious.
German military personnel have created conditions closely resembling the reality of the battlefield for Ukrainian training. For instance, trenches have been dug according to Russian standards. Instructors from 17 countries have trained about 18,000 Ukrainian soldiers in Germany, teaching them to work with high-tech air defense systems, sniper and medical skills, as well as drone management.
The mission, organized by the European Union in 2022, has been extended for two years to support Ukrainian forces in their fight against the Russian invasion.
Part of the training in Germany now also involves studying Russian trench systems, which Marlow said were typically built to a fixed scheme.
Instructors also use modern simulators and high-tech mannequins to train Ukrainian medics.
Drones play a key role in training, helping soldiers learn to recognize the threat posed by enemy drones.
"Moscow and Kyiv have both sought to buy and develop new drones, deploy them in innovative ways, and find new ways to destroy them," Marlow added.
Since November 1, the Ukrainian Armed Forces' training centers have switched to an updated basic military training program, increasing its duration from 30 days to 1.5 months.
