"Since the beginning of that mission [the Joint Multinational Training Group Ukraine] up until January 2022, we have trained a total of 23,000 plus armed forces of Ukraine soldiers from 17 Different battalions and 11 different brigades. They participated in training there at the Combat Training Center Yavoriv," Hilbert said during a press briefing.
Since the beginning of that mission in 2015, the Pentagon invested $126 million into the training of Ukrainian military personnel, Hilbert added.
The United States is currently training the second group of about 50 Ukrainian military trainers on how to operate howitzers, radars and armoured vehicles pledged by the United States to Kiev amid Moscow’s special military operation in the country. The training sessions are taking place in a number of locations outside of Ukraine.
On 24 February, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk requested help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Ministry of Defence said the operation is solely targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and the army has been doing their best to avoid casualties among civilians.