U.S. Army general Mark Milley visits training site for Ukrainian soldiers

Mark Milley said it will better prepare Ukrainian troops to launch an offensive or counter any surge in Russian attacks.

Monday (January 16) was just Day Two for Ukrainian soldiers at the U. S. military's new training programme, but the message was coming loud and clear.

These are urgent times. And the lessons they will get in the next five weeks on weapons, armoured vehicles and more sophisticated combat techniques are critical as they prepare to defend their country against the Russian invasion.

“This is not a run-of-the-mill rotation,” U. S. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Monday afternoon as he met with commanders. “This is one of those moments in time where if you want to make a difference, this is it.”

Mr. Milley, who visited the sprawling Grafenwoehr training area to get his first look at the new so-called combined arms instruction, has said it will better prepare Ukrainian troops to launch an offensive or counter any surge in Russian attacks.

He spent a bit less than two hours at “Camp Kherson” — a section of the base named after a city in Ukraine where Ukrainian troops scored a key victory against Russia last year. More than 600 Ukrainian troops began the expanded training programme at the camp just a day before Mr. Milley arrived.

For the first time since the war began nearly a year ago, reporters were given broad access to watch various portions of the training. The reporters were allowed to follow Mr. Milley and watch his interactions with Ukrainian and the U.S. troops and commanders, but were not allowed to report specific conversations with the Ukraine forces or take any photos or video. The restrictions reflect ongoing U.S. concerns about escalating Russian anger over the West's involvement in the war or triggering a wider conflict.