Ukraine has significantly improved its ability to strike military targets deep inside Russia, German Major General Mike Keller told DPA, highlighting progress in both military personnel and equipment and training, BTA reported.
"The Ukrainians are getting better at hitting militarily significant targets deep inside Russia. It's a matter of capabilities, and capabilities mean personnel, materiel and training," he said.
Keller is the deputy commander of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission, which coordinates the alliance's support from its base "Lucius D. Clay" in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Experts from 30 countries, including non-NATO partners such as Australia and New Zealand, as well as Ukraine itself, are working in Wiesbaden to ensure that Kiev’s needs for weapons, ammunition, spare parts and equipment are met. The mission also advises Ukraine and brings its forces into line with NATO standards – although Keller stressed that the training is bilateral.
According to the NATO general, the drones are a prime example of how Ukraine has improved its military. Few can teach the Ukrainians much in these areas, he noted, pointing to combat operations, logistics and even medical evacuation, as well as naval systems.
The German army and NATO allies are learning from these innovations in technology, operations and doctrine, the general added. Keller.
"Our primary mission is to coordinate support for Ukraine," Keller said. "But it would be foolish not to use this knowledge to improve ourselves and save our soldiers from repeating the hard lessons of Ukraine," he added.
Keller's remarks come as Berlin pledged 300 million euros to help Ukraine produce thousands of long-range drones.