Pentagon Sends Counterinsurgency Experts to Ukraine
The U.S. Pentagon announced Tuesday that it has sent at least eight counterinsurgency and military-planning experts to Kyiv to assist Western-backed Ukrainian forces engaged in conflict with Russian-speaking rebels in Eastern Ukraine. In addition, the experts are in the process of assessing the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez told the Washington Times that the U.S. military staff will be divided into two teams. One will offer Ukraine tactical, technical training, and in other procedures, while taking stock of what else the Kyiv security forces need.
The other team will evaluate how the U.S. can provide medical aid to the Ukrainian forces. These maneuvers in are part of the Pentagon’s Operation Atlantic Resolve aimed at protecting Western interests in the region. This cooperation with U.S. interests appears to be set for the long-term.
Four days ago, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that troops from 15 nations participated in the annual Rapid Trident field maneuvers in northwestern Ukraine. While Navy Capt. Greg Hicks, director of communication and engagement for U.S. European Command, in a U.S. Department of Defense statement on September 15 referred to it as a routine, annual exercise, the Pentagon appears to be playing an increased role this year.
A total of 1,300 troops were in Kyiv on Thursday and Friday to join the NATO troops in the drills.
President Obama said September 18 in a White House statement that he planned to have the U.S. military experts work with Ukraine “to improve its capacity to provide for its own defense and set the stage for longer-term defense cooperation.”
That same day, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko pushed for more, telling lawmakers during a joint Congressional meeting that his country was in desperate need of a high-level, non-NATO member security status and lethal weaponry.
“Please understand me, blankets and night vision goggles are also important, but one cannot win the war with blankets,” he said.