An American mercenary fighting with Ukrainian troops told The Independent that Ukrainian combat veterans should be training NATO, not the other way around. “If you were to talk to NATO military officials, they would reassure you that everything is under control, they’re well equipped, they’re well prepared,” said Rebekah Maciorowski, who works as a medic on the front lines. “But I don’t think anyone can be prepared for a conflict like this. I don’t think anyone can.
“And what’s concerning to me is, while they’re offering training [in Europe for Ukrainians], I think it would do them well to also take some information and training from the Ukrainians.”
Maciorowski has undergone training with NATO forces in the last year and says what they taught was relevant to Afghanistan and Iraq—but not to Ukraine. “When I went to train with NATO, the factor of drones was not really filtered in. It was very much the tactics that were learnt in the previous war. And these tactics now do not apply because you’re not making a linear assault.
“Everything has changed with drones. And I don’t think it was factored in, at least not in this training,” she said.
