Army barracks in Germany is ground zero for flow of West’s weapons to Ukraine

EUCOM Management Heart Ukraine staffers from the UK and United States prepare weapons deliveries to Ukraine from an workplace at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany, on June 3, 2022. (Christina Judd/EUCOM)

STUTTGART, Germany — The push to get Western arms into the palms of Ukrainian troops begins right here, on the fourth flooring of an outdated Patch Barracks convention corridor that has turned U.S. European Command right into a nerve middle.

Dozens of troops from 26 nations occupy the computer-filled room, the place the U.S. and its companions are tasked with making certain that every part from Stinger missiles and howitzers to drones and lengthy range-artillery will get to secret rally places.

After the handoffs, Ukrainian convoys, that are high-value targets for the Russians, make their strategy to the entrance. And to date, the Russians have been unable to cease them, U.S. army officers mentioned Wednesday.

The reason being “a scarcity of air help superiority from the Russians,” mentioned Rear Adm. R. Duke Heinz, EUCOM’s prime logistician and head of a particular process drive coordinating efforts to get arms into Ukraine.

Up to now, greater than 66,000 tons of weaponry have made their strategy to Ukraine through secret routes. The duty drive, referred to as the EUCOM Management Heart Ukraine, has been on the middle of all of it.

Shaped in March, the multinational cell operates 24 hours a day to remain on prime of the newest requires help coming from Ukraine.

For EUCOM and its companions, the trouble to divvy up weapons bears an organizational resemblance to signing up for a marriage registry.

U.S. Air Power Col. Steven Lawhun, deputy chief of the EUCOM Management Heart Ukraine, works at his station at Patch Barracks in Germany on June 3, 2022. The group, hosted by U.S. European Command, facilitates deliveries of Western weaponry to Ukraine. (Christina Judd/EUCOM)

All of it begins when a name is available in to the EUCOM middle at Patch Barracks with a Ukrainian request. Personnel then decide which nations have the related assets.

In some circumstances, nations will combine and match. For instance, every now and then, the British have offered howitzer programs whereas the People equipped the ammunition, officers mentioned.

As soon as a nation has been matched with a weapons system for supply and higher-level political selections to ship the weapons have been made, the U.S. and accomplice forces determine on routes for getting the gear into the palms of Ukraine troops.

Since standing up, the mission has moved in unpredictable instructions as occasions have unfolded in Ukraine, Heinz advised a gaggle of reporters visiting EUCOM headquarters Wednesday.

At first, the main target was on getting small arms, ammunition and anti-armor weapons into the nation, he mentioned.

Now, the U.S. is delivering extra subtle programs, together with howitzers and Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Methods, weapons the White Home beforehand hesitated to produce due to issues that Russia would view them as escalatory.

“What we all know in the present day may be very totally different from what we thought in March,” Heinz mentioned. “I’d be cautious to say we received’t do X, we received’t ship X, to the Ukrainians. … Something is on the desk, frankly.”

EUCOM officers declined to element particular routes for safety causes, however weapons transfer by land, sea and air to numerous handoff factors exterior Ukraine.

British personnel working at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany, on June 3, 2022, work together as a part of a Ukrainian request for cargo of weapons from Western international locations to be used within the battle towards Russia. (Christina Judd/EUCOM)

There are “three traces of communication,” or three international locations the place the handoffs happen, Heinz mentioned. About 70% to 75% of the provides arrive for switch on the “first line of communication,” he mentioned.

Whereas Heinz declined to establish the international locations concerned within the transfers, Poland has emerged as the primary hub for allies lending help to Ukraine. 

Poland additionally has been a focus for American troops who’ve deployed in response to Russia’s assaults in Ukraine.

Troopers have arrange positions close to the border with Ukraine to help with managing the circulate of weapons. In Jasionka, Poland, a newly established “upkeep cell” has been established that has the 405th Military Area Assist Brigade aiding Ukrainians on conserving howitzers, HIMARS and Javelins up and operating.

The EUCOM cell additionally coordinates efforts to coach Ukrainian forces on the array of programs. On any given day, about 1,000 Ukraine troops are being educated someplace in Europe, Heinz mentioned. 

Nonetheless, questions have emerged about what turns into of all of the weapons and whether or not a minimum of a number of the {hardware} has been siphoned off on the black market.

Relating to monitoring the precise vacation spot of the place the help finally ends up, Ukraine hasn’t offered all the main points. Understandably so, in accordance with Heinz, given operational safety issues.

“If it was the U.Ok. or the U.S. executing any such battle, we wouldn’t be sharing that info with our allies and companions,” Heinz mentioned. “We’d attempt to be opaque about that.”

However Heinz mentioned he’s assured the weapons are going the place they’re meant, citing Ukraine’s effectiveness in placing the varied programs to make use of on the battlefield towards the Russians.