Ukraine’s armed forces have carried out around 5,000 training drills in 2017, some 30 percent more than last year’s figure, according to the chief of the army’s Operational Training Department, Colonel Ihor Podolyan. “Every combat unit trained for missions in the (Donbas war zone) undergoes two brigade-level exercises at two different firing ranges” states the colonel. Constant drills are being conducted also by the air force. The General Staff is continuing to work on adapting Ukraine’s army training to NATO standards, Podolyan said. Ukraine will soon approve a military terminology manual for training and deployment of forces, which will help Ukraine’s forces become interoperable with NATO forces, he said. Apart from that, Ukraine’s best combat units are continuing to receive NATO-style training. In particular, eight infantry battalions and one company have finished Joint Multinational Training Group advanced courses conducted by the U.S. Army.
