The U.S. plans to more than double the number of Ukrainian forces it trains in Germany

The Pentagon is expanding the training that the U.S. military provides to the Ukrainian military in Germany.

The New York Times reported this with reference to two U.S. officials.

According to officials, this week, President Joe Biden had approved the relevant decision.

This would enable American instructors to train about a battalion of the Ukrainian military every month – approximately 600 to 800 servicemen.

The expanded training program will begin in 2023.

That is a major increase in the overall number of Ukrainians the United States trains outside the country.

Now, on average, about 300 Ukrainian servicemen undergo training every month.

The American newspaper notes that since the war started in February, the United States has trained 3,100 Ukrainian soldiers, mostly in small groups, to use specific weapons like artillery systems, which were given to the Armed Forces of Ukraine as military-technical assistance to withstand the Russian aggressor.

The Pentagon, in particular, has trained 610 Ukrainian soldiers to use HIMARS artillery rocket systems. These systems are capable of hitting targets far behind the lines, including ammunition depots, command posts, and bridges.

Within the expanded program, American trainers will instruct larger groups of Ukrainian soldiers in more advanced battlefield tactics, including coordinating ground infantry troop maneuvers with artillery support.

At the end of November, CNN reported that the United States was considering the possibility of significantly expanding the training of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Germany.

At the time, U.S. officials said on condition of anonymity that this training program can be “more intensive and comprehensive” than the training that the Armed Forces of Ukraine undergo in Poland or Great Britain.