Ukrainian forces to train under new NATO-based standards for extreme conditions

From Arctic to desert warfare, Ukrainian forces launch comprehensive survival training program based on NATO expertise while implementing hundreds of alliance standards in preparation for eventual membership.

Dec 23, 2024 - 20:00

Ukrainian forces to train under new NATO-based standards for extreme conditions

The Telegraph: Trump eyes 1,000-km buffer zone in Ukraine, guarded by EU and British forces

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has announced that soldiers of the armed forces will undergo training in extreme conditions based on a new standard that aligns Ukraine closer to NATO.

As of early 2024, Ukraine reported that it has implemented 324 out of 1,135 NATO standards. In the first half of the year alone, the country introduced 23 new standards. Education and training for conducting operations in an urban environment, tactics, methods, and procedures of NATO airborne operations are among the standards it has implemented, Babel reports. At the same time, in order to join the Alliance, Ukraine does not need to adopt 100% of the standards since, on average, the member states have implemented approximately 30%.

According to the Ministry, Ukrainian defenders will receive specialized training in the following key areas: search and rescue operations, survival, evasion of capture, resilience in captivity, evacuation preparation, and retraining.

The course, developed using NATO standards, also incorporates Ukraine’s specifics and combat experience gained during Russian aggression.

Ukrainian soldiers will be trained to survive in various environments, including Arctic, tropical, mountainous, and desert regions.

“Special attention is focused on organizing search and rescue operations to ensure the effective evacuation of isolated personnel,” said the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

The standard also includes provisions for specialized training and instructor preparation under the SERE program (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape), which NATO uses to train military personnel to survive in wilderness and hostile urban environments.

“The risk of isolation or performing combat tasks in challenging circumstances is inherent to military service. Our goal is to equip soldiers with the necessary knowledge and train instructors who can help them endure such trials,” noted Deputy Defense Minister Dmytro Klymenkov.

Earlier, Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned that his country must prepare for Russian hybrid warfare attacks. He also warned of a potential Russian threat to NATO around 2030.

Pistorius specifically addressed concerns about Russian influence on German politics, explaining that there are efforts toward “the financing of voices, such as AfD and BSW, claiming that we are not concerned with our own protection but are heading for a war with Russia.“

Russia may attack NATO territory by 2030, warns German defense minister

Read more:

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!