MOSCOW, September 28 (RIA Novosti), Ekaterina Blinova - The Pentagon has sent eight counterinsurgency operatives to Kiev in order to share planning tactics and techniques with Ukrainian security forces.
"Military staff will share with the Ukrainians some of the Pentagon's planning tactics, techniques and procedures while collecting data on the needs of its security forces, according to Pentagon spokeswoman Eileen Lainez. Staff arrived in Kiev, the country’s capital, on Thursday and Friday and are beginning to assess the operations of the Ukraine Ministry of Defense," the Washington Times reports.
The American operatives have been divided into two groups, according to a Pentagon spokeswoman. While one team would "look for ways that the US can supply military equipment" to Ukraine and analyze the state's security needs, the other team would look how the US could provide medical assistance to Ukraine's security forces, Eileen Lainez said.
"With support from Ukraine and the State Department, the security assessment team will also explore the potential of expanding our current Office of Defense Cooperation in Keiv, to enhance Ukraine’s military capabilities and interoperability," she emphasized as cited by the Washington Times.
It should be noted that the Pentagon's initiative has followed the large-scale US-led military exercise conducted by NATO in western of Ukraine. The Rapid Trident exercise brought together about 1,300 troops from 15 nations and lasted for nearly two weeks
"US Army Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, who serves as head of NATO land command in Izmir, Turkey, said the show of unity at exercises like Rapid Trident should deliver a message of solidarity among allies to Russia," Stars and Stripes underscores.
Exercise Rapid Trident: Building interoperability with US, Ukraine, Allied + Partner nations: http://t.co/GsPaWqpy2z pic.twitter.com/ESxFzdOaHm
— US Mission to NATO (@USNATO) 20 сентября 2014
Ukraine -- Exercise Rapid Trident continues | Get the facts on this multinational exercise: http://t.co/f1bwIU1teb pic.twitter.com/VVw1f0Stwh
— US Mission to NATO (@USNATO) 25 сентября 2014
Thanks to all who trained.RT "@USNATO: Ukraine -- Closing ceremony at Exercise Rapid Trident: http://t.co/ox74PVlHEs pic.twitter.com/Tz87NcDFAV"
— Eileen Lainez (@E_Lainez) 27 сентября 2014
The exercise had been carried out as a part of Pentagon's program "Operation Atlantic Resolve" aimed at confronting the non-existent "Russian military intervention" in Ukraine.
"The United States is demonstrating its continued commitment to collective security through a series of actions designed to reassure NATO allies and partners of America's dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region, in light of the Russian intervention in Ukraine," the official statement on Pentagon's website reads.
Although the White House has rejected to provide weapons and other lethal military gear to Ukraine, it continues dispatching military experts to Kiev in order "to improve its capacity to provide for its own defense and set the stage for longer-term defense cooperation," writes the Washington Times, citing the US President.
It is worth mentioning that in July 2014 the media outlet reported on Pentagon's mission aimed at rebuilding "fractured" military forces of Ukraine. According to Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, the main goal of the US military experts was to "shape and establish an enduring program for future US efforts to support the Ukrainian military through subject-matter expert teams and long-term advisers."
