Czech instructors help train over 9,500 Ukrainian troops
This was stated in an interview with Ukrinform by Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Karel Řehka.
“In total, in 2022-2024, almost 4,300 military personnel were trained in the Czech Republic, and 2,770 in Poland. In 2025, 365 in our country and 2,115 in Poland and Germany,” Řehka said, explaining that the Czech military has mobile training groups in various specialties that are deployed to Germany and Poland.
The training largely takes place under the auspices of the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine), he added.
The general noted that at the initial stage, maneuver units – first at the battalion level, then at the company level – arrived in the Czech Republic, along with specialists. Training focused on medical preparation, countering improvised explosive devices, weapons handling, engineering, and protection against chemical, biological, and nuclear threats. Maintenance personnel were trained to maintain certain equipment, including air defense systems provided by the Czech Republic. Some planning and staff training was also provided for officers.
“The organization of training is coordinated in accordance with the requirements of the Ukrainian side. Basically, we tried to react to the demand, and whatever we could provide, we provided,” Řehka said.
He added that over time, Czech forces gained increasing knowledge and experience in high-intensity warfare from their Ukrainian counterparts, including the use of drones and FPV systems. At a Czech training ground, a model battlefield was built based on satellite and aerial imagery, recreating trench warfare conditions and fortifications. Experienced Ukrainian soldiers were invited to share their operational knowledge.
“Our instructors learned from them, and later when new Ukrainian units came for training, we tried to incorporate that knowledge into the training of new soldiers. So we as the Czech military also gained a lot from it. We had the chance to build partnerships. We organized visits between our military academies,” Řehka added.
As reported, the European Union is considering options for training Ukrainian troops on Ukrainian territory as part of strategic reviews of the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) and EUMAM. EU countries are still determining what security guarantees they can offer Kyiv when the war ends.
