- 20,000 Ukrainian Military Personnel Trained by British Forces
- 1,000 Ukrainian Marines Complete “Intense” Training by Royal Marines
- Training Includes Amphibious Landings and Use of Weapons
Since the beginning of 2022, over 20,000 Ukrainian military personnel have been trained by British forces.
After more than six months of “intense” training by the Royal Marines and Army Commandos, nearly 1,000 Ukrainian marines are scheduled to return home.
They have been trained in amphibious landings using inflatable boats to conduct beach assaults, and will now move to the front lines.
Rishi Sunak announced the training during a February visit by Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy, marking the first time Ukrainian forces have received amphibious training.
The operatives were trained in the use of Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapons (NLAW) and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, as well as mortars, drones, and explosive demolition of obstacles like Dragon’s Teeth anti-vehicle fortifications.
While some of the Ukrainian recruits had prior experience in the military or on the front lines, the majority are civilian volunteers with no prior military experience.
One of the recently trained Ukrainian marines stated that the course from the Royal Marines was “much more intense than I anticipated” and added, “Our British instructors have been with us the entire time, teaching us how to move and work as a small team – this will make a difference when we return to Ukraine.”
Over 20,000 Ukrainians have received training from the United Kingdom to date, and the British government has committed to training an additional 20,000 at the beginning of 2023.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace stated, “The United Kingdom has led the way in training the Ukrainian Armed Force, supplying world-class training in frontline combat skills to more than 20,000 Ukrainian Army recruits through Operation Interflex.
This training initiative, conducted by elite British commandos, will assist Ukraine in establishing its marine force and expanding its ability to operate in a maritime environment.
