Vice Minister Umbrasas met with leadership of the ATO HQ and the commanders of the brigade deployed in the ATO territory.
On October 17-20 Vice Minister of National Defence Vytautas Umbrasas conducted a formal visit in Ukraine, met with Ukraine’s First Deputy Minister of Defence Ivan Rusnak to discuss security aspects relevant to both countries, and the actively developing bilateral and multilateral military cooperation with Ukraine. Son October 18 the Vice Minister and his delegation met with the Ukrainian special operations commander, leadership of and the Lithuanian instructors group deployed to serve at the Desna Training Centre. The meetings were also attended by a Lithuanian representative in the high-ranking Ukrainian Defence Reform Advisory Board retired General Jonas Andriškevičius responsible for improving professionalism of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Lithuanian-Ukrainian defence cooperation
Continuous cooperation with Ukraine remains to be among Lithuania’s top foreign and defence policy priorities: Lithuania supports Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, assists it in achieving its objectives regrading NATO standards and contributes to strengthening its defence capabilities.
Lithuania supports independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine from the beginning of the Russian military aggression in 2014, and provides all kinds of possible and legally permissible assistance, including military. Lithuania handed over to Ukraine parts of weaponry and unused ammunition. Lithuanian healthcare institutions are providing care for Ukrainian troops injured in the Anti-Terrorist Operation, alongside allies Lithuania is helping Ukraine to reform and train its armed forces.
Lithuania and Ukraine have been developing bilateral defence cooperation since 1994. Both countries’ soldiers are taking part in different military exercises in Lithuania and Ukraine, Ukrainian troops 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’s military instructors have been assisting in training Ukrainian forces since August 2015. On 1 July 2017 a military training mission was established in Ukraine with the staff of 40 instructors. On 3 October 2017, tomorrow, a new group of instructors serving with the Lithuanian Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion, Motorised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf, will be formally deployed to Ukraine tomorrow.
Lithuania has been delegating military advisors to Ukraine to help with defence reform since 2016, a strategic-level advisor is posted to the Defence Reform Advisory Board, renders other kinds of expert consultations. Representatives of the Ministry of National Defence actively participate in the events of the NATO Contact Point Embassy in Ukraine (the function the Lithuanian Embassy has been implementing since 2015).
Lithuania together with Poland and Ukraine established a trilateral brigade, LITPOLUKRBRIG, headquartered in Lublin. It was opened on 31 August 2015 and was declared to have reach full operation capability during Exercise Common Challenge on 15 December 2016. The trilateral Brigade was named after Great Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Konstantinas Ostrogiškis on 5 October 2017 (In 1514 he led the army that, with the help of the Polish, won a battle against the army of Muscovites at least three times its size. K. Ostrogiškis was buried in Kiev Pechersk Lavra by his own request.)
