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Germany Expands Integration of Ukrainian Combat Veterans Into Its Training System
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Germany is planning a significant expansion of the role of Ukrainian combat-experienced personnel within its military training system, as the Bundeswehr looks to adapt to the realities of modern warfare, according to remarks by Lieutenant General Christian Freuding in an interview with Welt am Sonntag on April 17.
Freuding said the initiative aims to combine the firsthand battlefield experience of Ukrainian soldiers with the structured training expertise of German instructors.
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“They should work together in field conditions, train, and transfer skills as close as possible to real combat scenarios,” the general said.
Ukrainian personnel with frontline experience are already involved in training programs at several German military institutions, including the Armored Corps School, the Unmanned Systems Training Center, and the Engineer School.
According to Freuding, the Bundeswehr now intends to expand this model across the broader force.
He stressed the importance of systematically integrating combat-tested Ukrainian knowledge into training cycles, particularly as modern warfare increasingly revolves around drone operations and rapidly evolving tactics.
The first group of Ukrainian instructors was deployed to German military schools before Easter, Freuding noted, emphasizing that all of them bring direct combat experience from the war.
Beyond training, the Bundeswehr is also accelerating efforts to restructure its forces to better reflect current battlefield realities. This includes deeper integration of unmanned systems into both ground and air operations.
In the future, armored formations and mechanized infantry units are expected to operate alongside drones as a standard component of combat, Freuding said. The German military also plans to expand drone use across reconnaissance, logistics, casualty evacuation, and artillery support roles.
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Assessing the current battlefield situation, the general said Russian forces are under increasing strain.
“At the moment, Russian armed forces are experiencing operational and even tactical setbacks. Our Ukrainian partners report more than 400 killed or wounded Russian soldiers for every square kilometer of territory gained. This development gives us time. Everything that ties down and exhausts Russian forces now gives us better opportunities to strengthen our own deterrence capabilities,” Freuding said.
Earlier, Ukraine and Germany signed a memorandum on battlefield data exchange that will give Berlin access to Ukrainian battlefield experience and combat data to support defense technology development.
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