Military expert: Adoption of NATO standards means speaking common language with NATO countries during control and military operations

WATCH IN ENGLISH

Kyiv, December 21, 2015. Adoption of NATO standards means speaking common language with NATO countries participating in combat activity and peace-support mission, during control and military operations as well as coordinating actions among all the military departments inside the country, said a military expert providing support to the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) in making changes to the administration system, David Makishvili, at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. Adoption of a new system of education is the key pillar to introduce changes, said a military expert aiding troops of the National Guard in training organization, Giorgi Kalandadze. According to Kalandadze, hybrid warfare is in progress, which requires changing army regulations and introducing new approaches in military training. “There are specialists gathered in the training center in Zolochiv (Lviv region, Ukraine) who had participated in combat in the ATO zone and those having battle experience in Afghanistan, Georgia, Iraq and Israel,” said Kalandadze. These are high-skilled trainers who will use new approaches in combat training of Ukrainian National Guard troops. Soldiers, specialists and officers will undergo training in stages. Moreover, special attention in the NGU educational curriculum will be given to foreign languages learning, English in particular. Officers will attend special courses in the USA.

Kostiantyn Parshyn, officer of the Department of strategic planning and compatibility with NATO military structures of the National Guard of Ukraine, predicts that active phase of the National Guard reformation night be observed in six months, i.e., a ‘skeleton of a new structure’ will have formed. According to Parshyn, command of the National Guard made a decision to reform the entire NGU system. It will be the responsibility of the Department of strategic planning, with active involvement of foreign experts. The first stage of the reform will change the management structure, bringing it in line with the NATO standards for the main directorate, territorial directorate and NGU subdivisions. “It is done for the purposes of making tasking of forces, planning and decision making as efficient as possible, using international best practices,” said Parshyn. The second stage of the reform involves creation of new system of the staff training, from individual training to training of command echelon officers at all levels. Moreover, Parshyn informed that the most efficient institute, ‘sergeants’ institute’ will be created to exercise maximum control over subordinates’ actions. The third stage envisages maximum coordination of the National Guard with all the departments within the national security sector participating in the ATO, as well as the NATO forces. “Implementation of this reform will give the National Guard a chance to occupy rightful place guaranteed by the law of Ukraine, and avoid mistakes resulting in losses, at the expense of training and efficient planning,” said Parshyn. This will aid in sparing efforts and funds, which would be an important result of the reform, added the officer.