Ukrainian soldiers test live-fire drills and close quarter battle skills on Interflex
Ukrainian soldiers have been carrying out live-fire and close quarter battle drills at an undisclosed location on British soil.
They are some of the latest volunteers to be put through their paces on Operation Interflex – the British Army's contribution to the training of Ukrainian recruits.
The five-week programme teaches soldiers the essential skills needed to fight and survive on the frontline in Ukraine and is the largest military training programme of its kind on British soil since the Second World War.
Recruits are taught weapons handling, battlefield first aid, the law of armed conflict, patrol tactics and rural environment awareness during the course.
It allows Ukraine to speed up deployments, rebuild its forces and scale up its resistance against the Russian invaders and their North Korean allies.
Live-fire training sees real ammunition used in a controlled environment to simulate real-world combat or emergency situations.
CQB combat takes place in confined, close-range environments, typically within buildings, urban settings or other areas where there is limited space for movement.
The exercise focuses on engaging the enemy at very short distances, often within a few metres, where quick decision-making, agility and precision are crucial.
Op Interflex goes beyond the basics, with personnel trained on UK-supplied equipment, teaching medics and a two-week course for Ukrainian military chaplains.
Other training exercises include EOD training – explosive ordnance disposal – the detection, identification, rendering safe, and disposal of explosive devices.
RAF instructors are also training Ukrainian pilots on their journey to learning to fly F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters.
Pilots have received basic flying training, including aircraft handling and navigation, alongside English language training to assist their further instruction on F-16s with other Nato countries.
It's a multinational effort involving Nato allies and partner countries providing training at various sites across the United Kingdom.
This includes Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Australia and Romania.
The training was set up in the UK after Operation Orbital, the British Army's long-term training programme in Ukraine, had to be paused when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Op Interflex had been due to come to an end last year but was extended until at least the end of 2025.
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