Multinational allies train Ukrainian recruits in the UK to 'survive, fight and win'

UK-led training has seen more than 17,000 Ukrainian recruits transformed from civilians to soldiers ready for the frontline.

Across Europe, Nato allies and partners have trained thousands of Ukrainian volunteers, while the UK-led course involves instructors from nine other countries including Australia and Norway.

"The focus of the course is to give the volunteers to the armed forces of Ukraine the skills and principles to survive, fight and win," Lieutenant Colonel Nick Zorab, Commanding Officer First Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, said.

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The UK-led training programme – codenamed Operation Interflex – reached its first anniversary earlier this month.

Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine prompted an immediate response, with tens of thousands of Ukrainians volunteering to fight to defend their cou ntry.

The five-week training combat course is for new volunteer recruits who have joined the armed forces of Ukraine with little to no previous military experience to teach them the skills required to survive and be effective in frontline combat.

Lt Col Zorab added: "As well as focusing on the relevance of the course, we also focus on the realism and immersing the trainees in those realistic battlefield scenarios to help them to understand the effects that has on them mentally and, indeed, physically, and also to prepare them for the battlefield that they'll go back to."

UK military trainers and nine other partner forces – including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania and the Netherlands – have been in charge of delivering the training package.