Norway's soldiers want to give their Ukrainian counterparts a "Viking mentality" as they lead training for them in Poland.
Norwegian soldiers are bringing their own "Viking mentality" and warrior culture to the training of Ukrainian troops for war with Russia.Norway is leading Operation Legio, a new international effort to support, train, and equip Ukrainian soldiers for the fight. Battlefield training combines Ukrainian combat experience with NATO warfighting practices.The training, supported by 11 nations, is primarily conducted by personnel from the Telemark Battalion, an elite mechanized infantry battalion of the Norwegian Army that has made aspects of Viking culture central to its identity.Maj. John, the S3 Operations Officer in charge of synchronizing the overall training operation, told Business Insider that Norway's Telemark Battalion puts great emphasis on building skills, but also developing a "warrior mentality" that allows them to fight and "thrive in harsh conditions.""We draw that warrior mentality from our Viking heritage," he said, "and the Viking culture is very important for us." He asked to only be identified by his first name for security reasons.The elite battalion, which has deployed on combat missions in places like the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq, is represented by the emblem of a Viking ship, and the unit's Viking-inspired battle cry is: "To Valhalla!" In Norse mythology, Valhalla is the great hall in Asgard for brave warriors slain in battle.John said the battalion's mindset is "not like over-aggressive, over-eager, doing stupid stuff. We take the best parts of that Viking mentality and then apply it to the ethical and moral standards that are required of our soldiers."
