According to a senior intelligence sergeant in Ukraine’s 41st Mechanized Brigade, Western military instructors are leaving Ukrainian soldiers “underprepared” to fight against Russia. The officer, known as ‘Dutchman’, argues that NATO commanders do not understand the differences between the counterinsurgency wars they have fought in the Middle East and the realities of the fighting in Ukraine.
Dutchman points out that Western instructors have mostly fought wars in urban settings, such as Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. However, the fighting in Ukraine is different, and their experience of kicking in doors to hunt insurgents is not relevant. He states, “They don’t quite understand our situation and how we are fighting.”
NATO commanders tend to plan with a weaker enemy in mind, relying on superior firepower and technology to overwhelm their adversaries. However, this strategy has failed to dislodge the well-armed Russian military. Dutchman emphasizes the need for soldiers to understand effective trench clearing, grenade throwing, avoiding booby traps, and gaining a better understanding of the enemy.
He suggests that it would be beneficial for either the instructors to visit Ukraine to see the challenges they face or for Ukrainian soldiers to train with Western instructors. Despite acknowledging the effectiveness of Western training, Dutchman believes that the most useful training is still conducted in Ukraine.
However, Dutchman acknowledges that NATO instructors training Ukrainian recruits in offensive tactics violates the alliance’s “no boots on the ground” policy. This policy is aimed at avoiding direct clashes with Moscow. Analyst Nick Reynolds of the Royal United Services Institute agrees, stating that serious policy changes would be required to provide the type of training that Ukrainians want.
Although NATO rules prohibit certain forms of training, the US military has been providing local training in offensive tactics since 2014. The CIA has also been training operatives in Ukraine for decades, even before the 2014 coup that removed the democratically elected president. In 2015, the CIA increased its presence, offering weeks-long courses in weapons, intelligence, and stay-behind network strategy. While officially categorized as non-offensive, a former CIA official revealed that the US was training Ukrainians to “kill Russians.”
In conclusion, Ukrainian Army officer ‘Dutchman’ criticizes Western military instructors for leaving Ukrainian soldiers underprepared to fight against Russia. He highlights the differences between the Middle Eastern counterinsurgency wars and the fighting in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for soldiers to understand the specific challenges they face. Despite policy restrictions, the US has been providing offensive training to Ukrainian soldiers, with the CIA playing a significant role. Overall, there is a call for a better understanding of the realities of the conflict in Ukraine and tailored training to effectively combat the well-armed Russian military.
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