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Ukrainian Tankers Started Training on Leopard 2 in Poland

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The illustrative photography - Leopard-2A4 MBTs at a training ground in Świętoszów, Poland, on January 13, 2023. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Poland
The illustrative photography - Leopard-2A4 MBTs at a training ground in Świętoszów, Poland, on January 13, 2023. Photo credits: Ministry of Defense of Poland

Under the EUMAM Ukraine European Union training mission Ukrainian servicemen began training on Leopard 2 tanks in Poland

This was announced by to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Poland.

President of Poland Andrzej Duda personally visited the training ground of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade. There, Ukrainian servicemen are being trained to operate Leopard 2A4 tanks, which Warsaw plans to hand over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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“On the instructions of the President of Ukraine, we are starting the training of Ukrainian military. Experienced soldiers determined to protect the Motherland take part in the exercises. We carry out our allied activities through military and humanitarian aid, as well as by organizing training,” Polish President Andrzej Duda said.

105 Ukrainian servicemen arrived in Poland – 84 as part of 21 tank crews and 21 technical personnel. The training course for Ukrainian soldiers will last one month with 10-12 hours of classes per day.

The head of the training group of the training ground of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade, Krzysztof Sieradzki, noted that the Ukrainians have experience in managing tanks, which greatly simplified the training process.

“Ukrainians learn quickly, there are no problems with mastering this military equipment,” Sieradzki emphasized.

The training of Ukrainian servicemen was organized on the basis of the training infrastructure of the 10th Armoured Cavalry Brigade in Świętoszów, which is part of the 11th “Lubuska” Armoured Cavalry Division. Its instructors will train soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the European Union Military Assistance Mission to Ukraine (EUMAM).

Deputy Prime Minister of Poland Mariusz Błaszczak noted that today the biggest challenge for the creation of a Ukrainian tank unit based on Leopard 2 tanks is the creation of a stock of spare parts.

“We are putting this task before the German side, before the German industry. I spoke about this, among other things, recently with the Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany,” Mariusz Błaszczak said.

It is noted that the German Bundeswehr is planning a special express course for the Ukrainian military. The training of the crews is planned to be completed by the end of the first quarter, because that is when the Leopard tanks are to be handed over to the Armed Forces.

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