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Start of a new project: Lithuanian and Nordic instructors to provide explosive ordnance clearance mentoring to Ukrainian military

Start of a new project: Lithuanian and Nordic instructors to provide explosive ordnance clearance...

A month-long course for members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are kicking off in Lithuania. It is co-organized by Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Lithuania to training the Ukrainian military to carry out demining. The first iteration of the course is delivered by military instructors from Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Lithuanian Land Force Juozas Lukša Training Centre and the Colonel Juozas Vitkus Engineneer Battalion.  

“The plan according to the mutual programme with the Nordic countries is to deliver the course for the Ukrainians four times this year. When high-intensity combat ceases, demining specialists will have to work hard for years to make sure that people are able to live there safely, therefore the value of this course is unquestionable. After the training, the Ukrainian military will be ready to carry out detection and disposal of standard explosives currently used in the combat in Ukraine,” said Course Coordinator, Lithuanian Captain Nerijus Alekna.

The demining specialist training via the Nordic-Lithuanian EOC Training Initiative (NLETI) encompasses transfer of demining expertise and skills and provision of training materials that will be given to the trainees after the course is completed. Every participant will receive the full set of training necessities – from protective helmet and suit to explosive detection equipment. NLETI is aimed at training Ukraine’s military personnel to that point unversed in demining so that they are able to carry out explosive ordnance detection and disposal safely in low-intensity combat zones.

Photo credit: Pte 1st Class Vakaris Mičiūnas | Lithuanian Armed Forces