Over 62,000 Ukrainian service members have completed training in UK – Ukraine's Defence Ministry
Over 62,000 Ukrainian service members have completed professional training in the United Kingdom as part of the multinational training programme Interflex.
Source: Ukraine's Defence Ministry
Quote: "Operation Interflex is one of the key elements of the UK's and partner countries' practical military support for Ukraine. Over 62,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have completed training under the programme since 2022 and funding for the operation has been extended until the end of 2026."
Details: The ministry stresses that the main aim of the training is to provide rapid and systematic preparation of Ukrainian troops for the realities of modern, high-intensity warfare.
The training takes place at military ranges across the UK under the leadership of the British Armed Forces. Instructors from more than 10 partner countries from Europe, North America and Oceania have also joined the mission. This approach allows different combat experiences and NATO standards to be combined.
The basic Interflex course lasts several weeks and covers a wide range of skills that are critically important on the battlefield. These include individual infantry training, small-unit tactics, live-fire training and weapons handling. Instructors also place particular emphasis on combat engineering, mine safety, tactical medicine as well as the specifics of fighting in urban environments and trench warfare.
The defence ministry noted that the programme is constantly updated to reflect the latest combat experience of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and changes in the tactics used by Russian forces.
For reference: Operation Interflex replaced the UK-led Orbital mission, which operated in Ukraine before Russia's full-scale invasion. While Orbital focused on long-term capacity-building for the Ukrainian military, Interflex has been adapted to wartime realities and the immediate needs of the line of contact.
Background:
- Military training for Ukrainian troops in Europe is mainly conducted under two programmes: Interflex and the EU-led EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) initiative.
- In August, the UK Ministry of Defence warned that Russian spies could use drones to monitor British military bases where Ukrainian soldiers are being trained.
- In late November, the UK Ministry of Defence reported that 50,000 Ukrainian troops had completed training as part of Operation Interflex.
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