The first Ukrainian battalion completed training on the use of American M2 Bradley BMPs at the US base in Germany. Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder told reporters on February 17, CNN notes.

 The first group of 635 Ukrainians completed a training course at the Grafenwer training base, where the US conducts its own joint military and maneuver training. In particular, the Ukrainian battalion trained on the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle.

 The training began in mid-January and is part of an expanded US program to prepare Ukrainian troops for combat operations. In the past, the US has offered smaller-scale training for individual weapons systems, such as HIMARS missile launchers.

 A second group of 710 Ukrainian servicemen has already begun training in Grafenwehr, Ryder added. These soldiers will train on the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and the M109 Paladin self-propelled howitzer, which were recently announced by the United States to be transferred to Ukraine.

 In addition, another 890 Ukrainian servicemen will start training on Stryker combat vehicles next week.

 The M2 Bradley is a combat vehicle of the US infantry, named after General Omar Bradley. As Bloomberg writes, the Bradley can provide a significant increase in the combat capability of ground troops, because it is, in fact, a light tank. It is armed with a 25mm cannon and TOW anti-tank missiles.

 On January 4, US President Joe Biden announced that the United States was discussing the supply of the M2 Bradley to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. On January 5, he confirmed that such a decision had been made.

 Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said that Bradley's M2 is "not a tank, but a tank killer."

 On January 23, the Pentagon announced that they would transfer the Bradley to Ukraine in the coming weeks.