UK trains over 5000 Ukrainian Armed Forces

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has revealed that the UK has directly trained over 5,000 members of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, 1,000 more than initially targeted.

British personnel have been in Ukraine on Operation Orbital since 2015, training the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a number of defensive skills such as the identification of mines and IEDs, medical care and logistics. The training mission will last until 2018.

The UK is currently preparing to refine Operation Orbital’s training model to increase the operation’s impact on the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ training sustainability over the coming year, with more intense focus on Train-the-Trainer as well as mentoring and advising.

Following a meeting in London with his Ukrainian counterpart, Stepan Poltorak, during which they discussed how the UK can support defence and security reform in the Ukraine, Fallon said: “We have now trained over 5,000 Ukrainian service personnel, sending a clear message that we are committed to supporting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. As the UK is stepping up across the world, we are standing side by side with our Ukrainian friends.”