Ukrainian military mastering new types of weapons in “incredibly short” period of time - General Nayev

This was announced on Facebook by the Commander of Ukraine’s Joint Forces, Lieutenant General Serhii Nayev, the Command's press service reports.

"Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to set records in military art. With the arrival of international military and technical assistance, savvy Ukrainian soldiers surprised the professional circles of military analysts by mastering Western models of military equipment in an incredibly short period of time. Using a comprehensive approach in planning the use of modern equipment and weapons, Ukrainian staffs put a great focus on improving the qualifications of tactical and operational-tactical command units. After all, the most effective use of new weapons, which have been put into service with the Armed Forces since last year, depends on the training of junior and mid-level commanders," the statement reads.

According to Nayev, the command structure of the Armed Forces has been expanding at a particularly fast pace since 2014, in line with the new, non-Soviet military tradition. In 2014, a new training system was launched in the Armed Forces. The troops were prepared taking into account the experience gained first in the Anti-Terrorist Operation zone, and later during the Joint Forces Operation. More attention was paid to the ability of commanders of all levels to make independent decisions. The first experience of combat clashes clearly demonstrated the importance of personnel training and that of the officer corps. In a critical moment, a soldier does not rise to the level of his theoretical knowledge, but acts as he has learned, in line with those algorithms that have been taught to them on the training tactical field.

The commander also noted that the Ukrainian defenders demonstrate the ability to make greater use of quality, rather than quantity, on the battlefield.

"Given the enemy's numerical advantage in weapons and ammunition, the ability to fight not in quantity but in quality came to the fore. And the most important thing — unlike the Soviet school, where subordinates are tasked with carrying out the order at any cost — in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, commanders are entitled to make their own decisions during the battle, depending on the situation, if their decision poses no risk to the execution the larger task," said the commander.

According to Nayev, training is planned taking into account already acquired capabilities. At the same time, the Command focuses on acquiring new knowledge and skills necessary for prevailing on the battlefield. In particular, as part of commander training, military personnel are taught to find new non-standard solutions, the ability to think outside the box, to exercise reasonable initiative, to make elaborate management decisions, and most importantly, to bear personal responsibility for these decisions.

"Throughout this time, we’ve managed to prepare a strong Ukrainian school of commanders. Mobility and high motivation, ingenuity and the ability to make timely decisions became key factors that proved the success of the School of Armed Forces Commanders. Before the full-scale invasion, our officers gained invaluable combat experience directly in the Donbas battles. Therefore, in 2022, our commanders met the enemy already prepared to conduct large-scale military operations," Nayev emphasized.

He also noted that the use of modern Western models of military equipment has multiplied the capabilities of Ukrainian units.

"We gratefully accept not only military technical assistance, but also the training of our personnel at the bases of our Western allies. Thousands of our servicemen are currently undergoing training. Ukrainian officers will master the process of planning and commanding, coordinating maneuvers and conducting reconnaissance. In this way, we not only receive technical assistance from partner countries but also learn how to utilize it effectively on the battlefield," Nayev concluded.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on July 24, the Commander of Ukraine’s Joint Forces, Lieutenant General Serhiy Naev, announced that air defenses are gradually being strengthened in Sumy region.