On December 7-8 Lithuanian delegation led by Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas conducted a formal visit in Ukraine. The visit was arranged to discuss security situation, the Ukrainian military reform, prospects of bilateral and multilateral military cooperation, and to meet with Lithuanian soldiers serving in Ukraine.
Lt Gen J. V. Žukas was thanked profusely for the support of the Lithuanian Armed Forces to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and heard exclusively positive response concerning Lithuanian servicemembers who are contributing to the training of Ukrainian soldiers according to NATO standards as part of a military training operation.
"I am proud of the Lithuanian troops with the Special Operations Forces, Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion and other units who are sharing professionally their experience with partners in Ukraine. I am grateful to them for honest service," Chief of Defence said after the visit.
On December 7 Lt Gen J. V. Žukas familiarised with the course of work of the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine at the the International Peacekeeping and Security Center in Yavoriv Training Area and met with Lithuanian military instructors with the Lithuanian Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion serving there. The Lithuanian delegation also visited the 142nd Training Centre of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine Berdychiv and met with Special Forces Commander Major General Ihor Luniov, NATO Special Operations Forces Commander Vice Admiral Colin J. Kilrain, and Lithuanian special forces instructors taking part in a training operation there.
On December 8 Lithuanian Chief of Defence met with Chief of Defence of Ukraine General Viktor Muzhenko and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov in Kyiv. The meetings addressed bilateral and multilateral Lithuanian-Ukrainian military cooperation, security situation, and relevant issues concerning Ukraine's military reform.
Currently there are roughly 30 Lithuanian soldiers taking part in the military training operation in Ukraine.
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The Lithuanian Armed Forces support Ukraine's defence reform, particularly the military sector. Since 2014, Lithuanian military instructors are sent to take part in the Ukraine's battalion training programme and special operations forces training, and actively contribute to the NCO system reform, independently and alongside U.S., Canadian, British and Polish colleagues.
On 1 July 2017 a military training mission was established in Ukraine with the mandate to send up to 60 soldiers to Ukraine in 2017-2019 to train the Armed Forces of Ukraine. of 40 instructors. Ukrainian troops are invited to study at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, MD Jonas Basanavičius Military Medical Training Centre, Division General Stasys Raštikis Lithuanian Armed Forces School. Lithuania also provides financial support to Ukrainian soldiers' studies at the Baltic Defence College.
Lithuania together with Poland and Ukraine established a trilateral brigade, LITPOLUKRBRIG, in 2014 headquartered in Lublin since 2015. In October the Brigade was named after the Great Hetman Konstantinas Ostrogiškis. Units of the Brigade are based in their home countries and assembled for exercises, the decision to deploy the Brigade to an international operation is made by general consent of all countries.
In 2016 Lithuania handed over to Ukraine unused elements of weaponry and ammunition. In the nearest while another donation of non-NATO calibre weapons and ammunition no longer used in the Lithuanian Armed Forces will be transferred to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on the basis of the Resolution of the Government of Lithuania of 29 November 2017.
Spokesperson for the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major Mindaugas Neimontas
Contacts: +370 5 278 5091, +370 682 25359, mindaugas.neimontas@mil.lt
Photo credits: Lithuanian Aremd Forces, Armed Forces of Ukraine
