EUMAM-UA. EUROPEAN UNION MILITARY ASSISTANCE MISION IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINE

Following the start of the Russian Federation's offensive on Ukraine on 24 February 2022, in addition to the measures adopted by NATO to reinforce Collective Defence, various international initiatives were launched to materialise the transfer of equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as training and instruction in its use.

The appearance of the Minister of Defence in her speech on 9 March 2022 before the Defence Committee of the Congress of Deputies endorsed the activities of planning and execution of support to Ukraine, at the national level, which have been carried out since the beginning of the crisis, fundamentally through the sending of armaments, material and equipment, medical assistance to Ukraine, and the provision of medical assistance to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, material and equipment, medical assistance to wounded Ukrainians and the training of Ukrainian personnel on national territory, always in accordance with the requests made by the Ukrainian Armed Forces through the different channels of communication that both the international community and our nation have established with that country.

On 30 August 2022, the Ukrainian Minister of Defence wrote to EU Defence Ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council in Prague requesting support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Following the letter, the High Representative suggested the establishment of an EU Military Assistance Mission. On 6 September, the Political and Security Committee (PSC) tasked the EU External Action Service (EEAS) with establishing a non-executive CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine. Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/1968 for the establishment of a Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine was endorsed on 17 October.

In line with the above, the Spanish Armed Forces carry out training activities for Ukrainian personnel on national territory. To fulfil this mission, the Toledo Training Coordination Center (TTCC) was created to develop a training programme dedicated to training different rotations of Ukrainian military personnel.

The TTCC consists of a Headquarters in Burgos, on which the Combat Training Unit (UFC) in Toledo (which is permanent and carries out both basic training and different specific courses) and the Training Modules (TM), which are activated to provide instruction in the specialities that are requested. These courses take place in the facilities that the Armies and the Navy have in various locations throughout Spain.

Under the direction of the Operations Command, to which it reports organically, the TTCC coordinates its activities with different international structures, not only at the level of the European Union, as in the case of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC), with which it is functionally related, but also in the framework of multinational agreements.