Ukrainian recruits face drones, dummy strikes and casualty calls in front-line training

Footage sent to BFBS Forces News shows Ukrainian recruits being hit by training drones as instructors recreate the threat waiting for them on the frontline.

A Ukrainian soldier is seen being struck by a drone flown by a fellow soldier, with a dummy charge producing a puff of smoke to simulate a strike.

Troops can then be heard shouting "trista" meaning 300, a battlefield code word for wounded.

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The footage was sent by a former British soldier now serving on the frontline in Ukraine, and shows how closely some Ukrainian training now mirrors combat conditions.

Many of Ukraine's new troops are now conscripts rather than volunteers, with some arriving with little or no previous weapons experience.

That has put pressure on instructors to compress battlefield lessons into a short training period before recruits are sent towards the front.

It also comes as Ukraine continues to adapt its training system. 

BFBS Forces News recently reported on Ukrainian media reports that commanders had raised doubts over whether Western soldiers, many without recent combat experience, were best placed to train Ukrainian infantry for the war against Russia.

Ukraine is reportedly preparing to stop sending infantry abroad for training, while expanding its own training base.

The number of instructors has reportedly risen by 13% over the past year.

Large parts of training are also being carried out with live ammunition, with recruits taught how to move, clear trenches and respond under pressure.

Drone evasion and counter-drone drills are now part of that preparation.

Virtual reality training is also becoming more common.

Drones are being used to create digital copies of the battlefield, allowing soldiers wearing VR headsets to practise different missions before taking that knowledge to the field

VR equipment can be used repeatedly without wasting physical resources or relying on large outdoor training areas, which can be difficult to find and protect from enemy attack..