Ukrainian soldiers trained at secret locations in Sweden
Four Ukrainian companies of mechanised infantry are now 'ready for the front' after they were trained by the Swedish Armed Forces.
Sweden said on Thursday it had trained Ukrainian soldiers to use the 50 CV90 infantry fighting vehicles it has donated to Kyiv.
But Stockholm did not specify how many Ukrainian soldiers it had trained.
"Due to security reasons, we will not disclose details of the scope or duration of the training at this stage," a spokeswoman for the Swedish Armed Forces told AFP.
Four companies of mechanised infantry have been trained at secret locations around the country over the last few months, according to the Swedish TT news agency.
EXPLAINED:
Sizes of companies vary between nations and can range from a few dozen to hundreds of soldiers.
Sweden announced in January that it would be sending 50 of its armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine.
The exact model sent to Ukraine is the CV9040C, equipped with a 40 mm automatic cannon which can target a "hovering helicopter from four kilometres away", according to the armed forces.
Some of the Ukrainian soldiers had "zero experience of combat vehicles or tanks, but many had experience with the Russian combat vehicle BMP-1," one of the Swedish instructors said in a statement.
The Scandinavian country also pledged to send Kyiv its mobile Archer artillery system and NLAW shoulder-launched anti-tank missiles.
The following month it announced it was also sending "around 10" Leopard 2 tanks along with the IRIS-T and HAWK anti-air missile systems.
Shortly after the start of February 2022 invasion Sweden broke with its doctrine of not delivering weapons to countries at war shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, pledging thousands of AT4 anti-tank weapons.
Stockholm has gone on to promise Ukraine total military aid worth 16.9 billion Swedish kronor ($1.6 billion).
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Sweden said on Thursday it had trained Ukrainian soldiers to use the 50 CV90 infantry fighting vehicles it has donated to Kyiv.
But Stockholm did not specify how many Ukrainian soldiers it had trained.
"Due to security reasons, we will not disclose details of the scope or duration of the training at this stage," a spokeswoman for the Swedish Armed Forces told AFP.
Four companies of mechanised infantry have been trained at secret locations around the country over the last few months, according to the Swedish TT news agency.
EXPLAINED:
Sizes of companies vary between nations and can range from a few dozen to hundreds of soldiers.
Sweden announced in January that it would be sending 50 of its armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine.
The exact model sent to Ukraine is the CV9040C, equipped with a 40 mm automatic cannon which can target a "hovering helicopter from four kilometres away", according to the armed forces.
Some of the Ukrainian soldiers had "zero experience of combat vehicles or tanks, but many had experience with the Russian combat vehicle BMP-1," one of the Swedish instructors said in a statement.
The Scandinavian country also pledged to send Kyiv its mobile Archer artillery system and NLAW shoulder-launched anti-tank missiles.
The following month it announced it was also sending "around 10" Leopard 2 tanks along with the IRIS-T and HAWK anti-air missile systems.
Shortly after the start of February 2022 invasion Sweden broke with its doctrine of not delivering weapons to countries at war shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, pledging thousands of AT4 anti-tank weapons.
Stockholm has gone on to promise Ukraine total military aid worth 16.9 billion Swedish kronor ($1.6 billion).
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