On the basis of the Institute of Naval Forces of the National University ‘Odessa Maritime Academy’ a working meeting was held between representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine headed by First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Ivan Rusnak and experts from the NATO Military Education Improvement Program (DEEP), headed by the Director of the Mariusz Program Solis The purpose of the event was to sum up this year and discuss cooperation directions for 2019-2020, in view of the need to increase the training of naval specialists and taking into account the deterioration of the security situation in the Black Sea and the Sea of ​​Azov.

First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Ivan Rusnak emphasized that the availability of trained personnel makes it possible to withstand the enemy. The defense official said that the implementation of the Alliance standards in the educational process and in-depth study of the English language is the key to the successful preparation of Ukrainian naval seamen under NATO standards.

– The NATO DEEP program is fully implemented in the current year. Proof of this is the training of our students in naval educational institutions and on ships of the member countries and partner countries of the Alliance, conducting joint exercises, – said the Chief of Staff of the Naval Force Institute, Chief of Staff Rostyslav Sharov, acting on a temporary basis. – Thanks to the recommendations of our foreign colleagues, we have improved a number of specialties and specializations in accordance with NATO standards, excluded from the curricula of disciplines that were not related to the training of Naval specialists, he added.

As a result of the meeting, the parties identified the main directions and forms of further cooperation in the field of reforming and developing Ukrainian military education. The head of the foreign delegation personally emphasized the intentions of further cooperation and the provision of comprehensive assistance under the NATO DEEP program. The personnel of the Naval Institute, which recently completed English language courses at the Academy of the Naval Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria, were awarded the relevant certificates. Also, the foreign delegation inspected the educational-material base of higher education.

Press Center Command

Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine