Takeover of the Toledo Training Coordination Center's Combat Training Unit

• A contingent of units from the Ceuta General Command has taken over from the 12th Farnese Cavalry Regiment of the ‘Castillejos’ Division, as part of the EUMAM-Ukraine mission.

The fifth rotation of the Combat Training Unit (CTU) in the framework of the European Union Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM UA) has been completed. The CFU is the only permanent structure of the Toledo Training Coordination Center (TTCC).

In this new phase of the mission (EUMAM UA V), a group of units from the Ceuta General Command (COMGECEU) will be in charge of training in the TTCC, a function that until now was carried out by the ‘Farnesio nº 12’ Cavalry Regiment, belonging to the ‘Galicia’ VII Brigade (BRILAT), which is part of the ‘Castillejos’ Division.

This handover was presided over by Colonel Pedro Pascual San José, commander of the 12th Farnese Cavalry Regiment and, at the same time, second-in-command of the TTCC. During the last six months, the ‘Santiago’ Cavalry Battle Battalion I/12, belonging to the aforementioned regiment and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Roberto Moreno Sánchez del Águila, has carried out the tasks of instruction and training of the Ukrainian soldiers.

During the fourth phase of EUMAM UA, which has now ended, Spanish soldiers have trained more than 800 Ukrainian soldiers in different training modules, including the ‘Basic Recruit’ and ‘Combat Medic Course’. It has also received high-level visits that have underlined the importance of the mission for Spain. Among other authorities, the Minister of Defence, the Commander of the Joint Operations Command (CMOPS) and the Ukrainian Defence Attaché in Spain have been direct witnesses to the collective effort and camaraderie of the Spanish and Ukrainian military personnel.

Finally, this act of handover underlines the commitment and dedication of the Spanish Armed Forces to training and supporting Ukraine and its Armed Forces, as well as the importance of continuing international cooperation in the training of Ukrainian military personnel.

EUMAM UA, support to Ukraine

The EU Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) was approved by Council Decision on 17 October 2022. It aims to strengthen the capacity of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders and to deter and respond to possible future military offensives by Russia and other potential aggressors. EUMAM works closely with all other like-minded international partners to provide training support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

EUMAM is also open to the participation of third States. All mission activities take place on EU soil. So far, 24 EU Member States - most notably Spain - have provided training modules and personnel to Ukrainian military personnel.

In Spain, training activities are directed by the Toledo Training Coordination Centre (TTCC) -under the direction of the Operations Command, to which it reports organically- and coordinates its activities with different international structures, not only in the sphere of the European Union, but also in the framework of multinational agreements. Since the start of this European mission, Spain has expanded the modality of the courses, which are now taught in different units of the Spanish Armed Forces.

The TTCC consists of a Headquarters in Burgos, on which the Combat Training Unit (UFC) in Toledo (of a permanent nature and which 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.

The Spanish Armed Forces have extensive experience in training personnel from the Armed Forces and security forces of other countries, such as Iraq, Mali and Somalia, among others. To date, within the framework of this EUMAM UA mission, Spain has trained more than 6,000 Ukrainian military personnel.