Transfer of authority in the Spanish mission to support the Ukrainian armed forces

• The General of the Galicia VII Brigade is now in command.

In the ‘Diego Poncelos’ quarters in Burgos, headquarters of the Toledo Training Coordination Center (TTCC), the handover took place between the III contingent, made up of the bulk of the ‘Guzmán el Bueno’ X Brigade, and the IV contingent, composed mainly of personnel from the ‘Galicia’ VII Brigade. The ceremony was presided over by the Chief of Operations Command Support, General Fernando Martín Pascual.

During the take-over ceremony, the Commanders of the outgoing and incoming TTCC, Brigadier Generals Fernando Ruiz Gómez and Alfonso Pardo de Santayana Galbis (Commanders of the respective Brigades), carried out the ceremony of Transfer of Authority, symbolised by the exchange of the command insignia.

Afterwards, General Pardo de Santayana addressed the audience, stressing the importance of concepts such as flexibility to adapt to the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in terms of training modules and initiative to improve training procedures.

He also reminded the incoming contingent of the importance of drawing on the combat experience of the Ukrainian military for improving their own training and that of upcoming training modules.

General Martín Pascual also addressed those present, thanking the Commanding General of the ‘San Marcial Division’ for his contribution with his HQ facilities and the support provided to the components of the TTCC HQ, which made a great contribution to the success of the operation. He also appreciated the initiative shown by the EUMAM III contingent.

For the last six months, the TTCC-III of the ‘Guzmán el Bueno’ X Brigade has contributed to the mission by training almost 1500 Ukrainian military personnel in courses that have been given throughout the country. It has coordinated the execution of 44 training modules in a wide variety of specialities: Basic Combat Training, Operations Planning, Leadership, Anti-terrorism, and Combat in Urban Areas, Combating Improvised Explosive Devices, Demining, Sapper Training, and Medical Care for Casualties in Combat, HAWK Anti-Aircraft Missile System Operators, Maintenance of Armoured Tracked Transport, Geospatial Technicians and Advanced Artillery Observers.

On its side, TTCC-IV will undertake similar work, reiterating some of the training modules already provided by previous rotations, or coordinating others that provide new capabilities according to the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In a short period, TTCC-EUMAM-UA IV will reach 5,000-trained Ukrainian military personnel.