Pentagon allows wounded Ukrainian soldiers to be treated at U.S. military facility

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has allowed wounded Ukrainian soldiers to be treated at a U.S. military facility in Germany, U.S. European Command (EUCOM) told The Hill.

“Secretary Austin recently approved the use of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for the medical treatment of Ukrainian service members,” a EUCOM spokesperson said.

Austin verbally approved the guidance in late May and later formalized the plan in a June 29 memo, according to CNN, which obtained the document.

The Pentagon’s plan allows for up to 18 wounded soldiers to be treated at the center at one time. Treatment would be allowed if there was no other facility available in Ukraine or nearby, CNN reported.

Landstuhl is a 100-bed Army command hospital located near Ramstein Air Base. It is the largest U.S. hospital outside the country as well as the sole military medical center for more than 205,000 people in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

However, the EUCOM spokesperson said that no Ukrainian forces have been treated there to date.

“It remains available to Ukraine, along with other steps the United States and our partners and allies have taken to provide medical training, equipment, and supplies in support of Ukraine,” the spokesperson said.

The news comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags into its sixth month. The Ukrainian government said in June that between 100 and 200 of its soldiers are killed in the war every day.

The U.S. has stepped up its military support to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began on Feb. 24.

On Friday, the Biden administration unveiled a $270 million security assistance package to Ukraine, which included four High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems and up to 580 Phoenix “Ghost” Drones.