The government has announced that Ukrainian soldiers will continue to receive training in Britain to prepare them for the frontline. The extension of Operation Interflex, the operational code name for the British-led multinational military operation to train and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, will see troops continue to train Ukrainians until at least 2026.
Since the outbreak of war, more than 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have been trained on British soil so far, with the UK leading 13 other nations providing support to the Interflex programme. In announcing the agreement, the government says that it is stepping up and “evolving its training support to ensure Ukraine’s Armed Forces are in the strongest possible position as they resist ongoing Russian attacks, and to deter any further Russian aggression.” Defence Secretary John Healey said: “The UK is united for Ukraine. We will continue to step up our support alongside allies, so that Ukraine can defend today and deter tomorrow.
“In the face of ongoing Russian attacks, we must put Ukraine’s Armed Forces in the strongest possible position. And as the push for peace continues, we must make the Ukrainians into the strongest possible deterrent to secure that future peace.
“This matters to Ukraine and it matters to Britain. A secure Ukraine is a secure Europe.
“From learning lessons from the battlefield to strengthen our own Armed Forces, to deepening our military industrial collaboration supporting jobs across the nation, Britain and Ukraine are growing closer than ever before.”
The training of Ukrainian soldiers began as a five-week course to provide basic combat training to recruits, but following continued feedback and dialogue with Ukraine’s Armed Forces, has since become a seven-week course and offers alternative courses specifically designed to boost leadership and command skills for commanding officers, with new courses introduced tailored according to seniority of trainees.
Artem, a Ukrainian soldier currently training on Operation Interflex’s Platoon and Company Sergeants Course, said: “I am very grateful to the UK for supporting the people of Ukraine in their struggle for independence and identity as a nation.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to take such courses, for the high level of professionalism of the instructors, their dedication to their work, and for their ability to organise both group training and find an individual approach to each of us.
“Instructors ensure that classes are conducted in conditions as close to real-life as possible, whether it be in trenches, in a forested area, or in an urban area.
“I learned how important it is to be prepared for coordinated actions in conditions of increased danger, how to properly coordinate personnel during defence, and planning offensive actions. I learnt how to survive in conditions of minimal support and improve first aid skills.”
The announcement comes following a tumultuous diplomatic fortnight for Ukraine following a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin which was followed by western leaders flocking to the White House in support of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
