Ukrainian non-commissioned officers share battlefield lessons in Lithuania

Ukrainian non-commissioned officers are visiting Lithuania to share combat experience, recent tactical developments and ways to adapt to constantly changing battlefield conditions, LRT reported, citing the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

The delegation represents different branches of the Ukrainian armed forces and is taking part in the annual seminar for the senior non-commissioned officers of the Lithuanian and Ukrainian militaries.

“Ukrainian non-commissioned officers bring experience that cannot be learned solely through exercises or textbooks: real battlefield experience,” Lithuanian Armed Forces Commander General Raimundas Vaikšnoras said. He said the delegation was sharing lessons on tactical changes at the front, the use of drones and robotic systems, changes in the training of soldiers and non-commissioned officers, and the adaptation of individual equipment.

“Our task is to listen, learn and apply these lessons in the Lithuanian Armed Forces as quickly as possible,” Vaikšnoras said.

The seminar was first held in Lithuania in 2017 and is taking place for the sixth time this year. The initiative was renewed last year.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces described the seminar as a bilateral military cooperation format focused on the non-commissioned officer corps and practical exchanges of experience. Ukraine has selected Lithuania as its main bilateral cooperation partner in the field of non-commissioned officers. The Lithuanian and Ukrainian seminar is described as the only format of its kind between a NATO country and Ukraine.

This year’s seminar focuses on adapting the training of soldiers and non-commissioned officers to changes in warfare, individual uniforms and equipment, the use of unmanned and robotic systems, and other lessons learned on the battlefield.

During the visit, the Ukrainian non-commissioned officers will visit different Lithuanian military units according to their areas of service and expertise. They will exchange experience directly with Lithuanian troops, learn about training and operational methods, and discuss which battlefield-tested solutions could be applied in the Lithuanian Armed Forces.