Europe Must Learn from Ukrainian Military and Fight 'Smart' - Colonel Idzelis

Colonel Linas Idzelis, the commander of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union, expressed his conviction in an interview with Ukrinform that Europe must learn from Ukrainian military forces, as they are uniquely qualified to effectively resist Russian troops. He emphasized that without the involvement of Ukrainian forces, defending Europe from Russian aggression would be exceedingly challenging.

"Only Ukrainian soldiers truly know how to fight the Russians, how to defend against professional units like 'Rubikon.' Defending Europe without Ukrainian troops would be very difficult," Colonel Idzelis underscored, highlighting the significance of Ukrainian experience in modern combat conditions.

According to Idzelis, sooner or later, everyone will realize that without the battle-tested Ukrainian army, Europe has no future. He also expressed critical views regarding the military preparedness of some European countries for potential conflict, comparing their strategies to those employed during World War II.

"There are two schools of warfare - one I call 'Mosfilm,' and the other 'Hollywood.' 'Mosfilm' involves sending waves of infantry to certain death and sending families death notices and possibly posthumous medals. However, I prefer 'Hollywood' with saturated minefields and drone operators deployed far from the front lines," Idzelis explained, emphasizing the importance of new technologies in warfare.

He also stressed that the future belongs to the Western school of warfare, which includes further robotization and drone utilization in combat operations. "Ultimately, the West is wealthy, so it can afford this. What is still lacking is military-industrial capacity, but since we now have increased defense budgets, it is only a matter of time," the Colonel noted.

Colonel Idzelis urged European politicians to move from constant discussions to real actions. "Since the large-scale invasion, there have only been discussions. It was only when Donald Trump came to power in the U.S. that Europeans felt real anxiety, beginning to invest more in their own defense," he said, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures in defense.

He also pointed out that new government orders for military factories are beginning to emerge, and new production lines are being built. "I believe that some know-how will be borrowed from Ukraine, including drones with deep and medium-range capabilities, as well as interceptors for modernized drones that now fly at higher speeds and altitudes, with MESH technology, installed cameras, and better resistance to electronic warfare means, among other things," the Colonel explained.

Idzelis also mentioned that he frequently visits Ukraine, where he observes the operations of headquarters and military units, which also include representatives from the United Kingdom. "Thus, I conclude that the British are indeed preparing and are taking the situation very seriously. It is not for me to assess the level of readiness in European countries, but certainly, it would be best if someone initiated a real transformation and set an example for others," he emphasized.

Colonel Idzelis stressed that the West needs a plan to "bury all Russian invaders, 100%." He also reminded that the European Union must actively support Ukraine, as allowing Russia to win on the battlefield would lead to further attacks on European countries, with the forced involvement of Ukrainian mobilization resources.

These comments from Colonel Idzelis underscore the importance of collaboration between Ukraine and Europe in the fight against Russian aggression, as well as the necessity of implementing new technologies in military affairs to ensure the security of the continent.