The National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine begins cooperation with the Swedish Defence University

As part of the development of international relations, a delegation of the Kingdom of Sweden visited Ukraine. The event was organized as a part of the launch of cooperation between the Academy and the Swedish Defence University.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Headquaters, the Academy, the Kyiv Institute, the International Center for Training of Units of the National Guard of Ukraine, the Vasyl Vyshyvanyi Training Center, territorial associations and brigades of the "Offensive Guard". The Swedish delegation was represented by representatives of the Defence Attache's Office of the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, the Swedish Defence University, the SAAB Dynamics Corporation, and the General Staff of the Swedish Armed Forces.

The purpose of the meeting was to initiate and further develop of cooperation between Ukraine and the Swedish Armed Forces. The focus of the meeting was on the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of education, research and science between the National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine and the Swedish Defence University.

“I am confident that our cooperation will be fruitful and will bring mutually beneficial results for both sides. I personally assure you that the Academy will fulfill all the agreements of the signed Memorandum. The assistance provided by the Kingdom of Sweden is difficult to overestimate. Today's step is only the beginning of long-term and fruitful work, on the path of which there are no secondary directions”, –  notes the Head of the Academy, Lieutenant General Serhii Sokolovskyi. – “The most important thing for us is the training of future officers today and further support for improving their qualifications, constant changes in line with the demands of the time, modernization of educational programs, and the introduction of combat experience. All this is possible only with flexibility, constant updating, and the study of combat experience in real time. Thanks to such cooperation, the Academy will become one step closer to achieving interoperability with units of the NATO member states and will also contribute to the general aspiration for Ukraine's closer membership in NATO”.

The meeting set tasks regarding the prospects of short-term, medium-term and long-term joint actions. During the discussion of cooperation between educational institutions, the parties touched upon such areas as the exchange of experience between lecturers, the development of new areas of cooperation in education and science. For example, how the joint construction of simulation centers can affect the picture of tomorrow's combat operations. The discussion focused on cooperation in the field of language training in the aspect of Swedish Defence University – NA NGU – NGU, training of instructors and trainers in other training institutions of the Swedish Armed Forces, which submit to the University of Defence and the Swedish Ministry of Defence, in the areas of fire, tactical, tactical-special training and tactical medicine, etc.

"The Academy, with its scientific potential, is becoming a kind of hub for the entire NGU. We will be coordinators for studying experience, providing support for all units of both the NGU and the Swedish partners in the possibility of direct communication with the units that will be most interesting for study and those to which the partners will wish to provide direct, whether logistical, educational or training assistance, - the Head of the Euro-Atlantic Integration Department of the Academy Colonel Volodymyr Honchar comments. – The issues of involving officers in work in joint headquarters were discussed separately. In the future, the Academy will become a leader for the entire NGU in the selection, preparation and sending to work in joint headquarters for joint exercises and training in Sweden and under its auspices in the NATO member states".

The officer adds that an equally important achievement is the agreement to involve Swedish companies in building the capabilities and potential of NGU units. The Academy can act as a hub for them, which, thanks to the Memorandum, will provide an opportunity to cooperate and receive feedback from those who receive this assistance.

It should be noted that representatives of the SAAB Dynamics corporation invited the leadership of the NGU and the NA NGU to visit their production facilities in Sweden for the production of weapons provided by Sweden.

One of the items on the delegation's agenda was to study the problematic issues of using anti-tank weapons provided by Sweden, which was coordinated by the Academy. The seminar was moderated by the Department of Euro-Atlantic Integration.

"Today's event was very useful for us, the comments and wishes regarding the improvement of the provided weapons samples received during the meeting will be processed as soon as possible. And we are confident that they will significantly improve their characteristics and will further help to bring victory of Ukraine closer", –  a representative of the Defence Attache's Office of the Swedish Embassy in Ukraine Per Lager said.

Department of International Relations, Information and Communication of the NANGU