A group of Lithuanian military instructors, 18 in total, have left for a Ukrainian training mission in the United Kingdom, the Lithuanian Armed Forces said on Wednesday.
Lithuania has been participating in the UK-led Operation Interflex since last autumn. The Armed Forces have told BNS that this is Lithuania’s second mission so far, with seven more rotations planned for the future.
Operation Interflex is hosted by the United Kingdom and is supported by contingents from international partners.
Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas has said that Lithuania will support Ukraine with all possible means and for as long as necessary, “until the end of the war”.
“We will also help to strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities after the war is over: our support must help both to win this war and to ensure Ukraine’s long-term territorial integrity,” the minister said in a press release.
“We are supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces and building their resilience in order not only to meet current needs, but also to ensure deterrence in the future,” he added.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces are set to start an intensive training cycle for Ukrainian military personnel from the second half of January, according to the press release.
The cycle includes training in the Land, Air and Special Operations Forces, and courses run by the Military Police and the Training and Doctrine Board, as well as joint training courses with the UK, Germany and the Nordic countries.
Currently, Ukrainian troops are being trained in Lithuanian military units to use 60 mm mortars and are taking part in training courses for military police instructors.
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