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The army of Ukrainian civilians in Toledo is back and fighting against Russia


The Spanish Ministry of Defense held an open day in Toledo on Thursday to announce on the ground the EU’s “Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine”. The Army Infantry Academy is the impressive place where 64 Ukrainian conscripts, with no previous military experience, prepare to join the combat units of their country.

It is the Ukrainian “Army” in Toledo… Among the walls of the academy, new Ukrainian soldiers live and share military experience. It is an instruction that places a heavy emphasis on marksmanship drills, recovery of the wounded, first aid, urban combat, mine clearance, hand-to-hand combat, physical training… This is what can be observed on Friday.

All this in a five-week period, from November 14th to December 17th. “There is no other way out but to win the war,” The Ukrainian commander pointed at the head of the group of Ukrainian recruits. The program considers a work schedule of 6 1/2 days per week with 10- to 12-hour shifts.

Maintain anonymity

Without military insignia and with their faces nearly covered, the recruits strove to comply with the orders given by the commanders. No name provided. In addition, the detected images stick to output pixelated faces. “The identity of these new Ukrainian soldiers must be protected,” a military source explained to the ABC. They will be ready to fight at Christmas.

“34 years on average with higher and basic education, coming from different regions of Ukraine.” This is the profile of a Ukrainian recruiter from Toledo. “Everyone left their children, relatives and parents in Ukraine. No matter how old they are, they come here to learn so that they can defend their country as soon as possible. The Ukrainian commander, who was accompanied by an interpreter, said.”

This from Toledo is the Army’s third instruction to Ukrainian soldiers in Spanish territory since the beginning of the European mission in Spain.

Previously, 21 soldiers were trained to handle the 105/14 howitzer at the maneuvering range “Alvarez de Sotomayor” (La Legion headquarters in Almeria). Spain promised to send it A battery of the aforementioned howitzers, that is, about six units.

In addition, another group of 19 Ukrainian soldiers received training in November in the use of the Aspide anti-aircraft missile defense system donated by Spain to the Ukrainian army. This was a training split into two parts: for system operators and another for maintenance personnel (gunsmiths, mechanics and electronics).

Therefore, Spain with the “Toledo Training Command” has become one of the training centers on a mission supervised by the Commander of the Operations Command, Lieutenant General Francisco Bracco, who explains that in this way “aims to coordinate the actions carried out by European countries. The door is not closed to other European countries To send trainers to Toledo to also advise the Ukrainian forces.

In the law issued on Friday, Lieutenant General Bracco insisted that inflammatory messages received at military institutions such as the Torrejon Air Base or the Ministry of Defense itself, as well as La Moncloa or the Ukrainian Embassy, ​​”will not modify our commitment to Ukraine: we will continue to do what we do.” .

The Spanish military leadership made a “personal comment” on this European mission: “We’re doing the right thing.”

According to the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, in the official presentation of the mission at the ministry three weeks ago, Spain’s goal is to train approximately 400 Ukrainian soldiers every two months, within a two-year time frame. The General Command of the European Union Military Capability for Planning and Implementation coordinates this training, which is also carried out at other centers in Germany or Poland. This type of training mission is by no means alien to the Spanish army, which over the past decade has specialized in this mission in countries such as Mali, Somalia, the Central African Republic or Iraq in various military aspects, despite always having an unequal enemy. . This is the first time that an army has been trained to confront regular military forces from a country like Russia.

Robles visit to Odessa

The Department’s outreach work in Toledo this Friday practically coincides in time with Secretary Robles’ first visit to Ukraine. On Friday, the defense minister visited Odessa, where she met her Ukrainian counterpart, Oleksiy Reznikov. “We will continue our support, as do all the countries of the European Union and NATO, because we believe that the cause of Ukraine is a just cause, it is the cause of peace and freedom,” the minister stressed in a press conference.

Ministry sources report on the shipment of more Spanish military materiel in recent days to the logistical support center of Ukraine located in Poland: “Spain has intensified its support by donating the largest package of defense materials to date. Specifically in the past week, the Ministry of Defense has delivered various heavy weapons, long-range ammunition and anti-tank ammunition. A basic defense material that was supplemented by the delivery of three generators and various and urgent medical supplies, in addition to 30 pallets, 7 containers, uniforms and anti-hail equipment.

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