(L-R) General Claude Robinet, Chief of Defence of the Luxembourg Army; Yuriko Backes, Luxembourg's Minister of Defence; Major General Laura Swaan-Wrede, Deputy Commander of the Multinational Special Training Command;
Credit: MAE
On Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 October 2026, Luxembourg's Minister of Defence Yuriko Backes, accompanied by the Chief of Defence of the Luxembourg Army, General Claude Robinet, visited several units of the European Union (EU) Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) in Germany.
According to Luxembourg’s Ministry of Defence, on the first day, in Feldkirchen, Minister Backes and General Robinet met three Luxembourg Army combat paramedics. The two non-commissioned officers and one corporal are currently deployed there for seven weeks to provide advanced training to Ukrainian military personnel. The programme includes training based on the principles of Tactical Combat Casualty Care, which aims to teach personnel how to treat the most common medical emergencies encountered during military operations.
On the second day, in Strausberg, Minister Backes and General Robinet held discussions with representatives of the Special Training Command (SC-T), as well as a Luxembourg Army non-commissioned officer assigned to the SC-T headquarters.
Later that day, at HUB North in Lehnin, both authorities observed an Advanced Tactical & Firing Training session for officer cadets of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The instructors included a Luxembourg Army non-commissioned officer integrated into a Bundeswehr battalion.
About EUMAM Ukraine
The EU established EUMAM Ukraine in 2022 in response to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The mission aims to train members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to enable Ukraine to exercise its right to self-defence as effectively as possible.
The EU Military Staff leads the mission, which comprises two command centres: the Special Training Command in Strausberg, Germany; and the Combined Arms Training Command in Żagań, Poland.
Since the mission began, approximately 100,000 Ukrainian military personnel have received training on EU territory through EUMAM Ukraine.
Since December 2022, the Luxembourg Army's contribution to the mission has consisted of two elements: a permanent presence at the headquarters in Strausberg; and temporary deployments to Germany on a rotational basis to deliver training modules in various fields, including cybersecurity, medical training and military instruction.
In view of Ukraine's urgent training needs and Luxembourg's continued support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the government has decided to extend the Luxembourg Army's participation in EUMAM Ukraine until 1 December 2028.
In addition, the maximum number of Luxembourg Army instructors who can be temporarily deployed for training activities will double from five to ten, noted the ministry.
