Ukrainian soldier undergoing British Army training says Kyiv's forces can stop Russia
A Ukrainian soldier undergoing training in the UK says Kyiv's forces are more confident of pushing back Russian troops thanks to training by the British Army.
Serhii has been in the Ukrainian army since the war began and told BFBS Forces News the training programme is helping Kyiv's troops defend positions from Russia's advancing forces.
"We see that Russian army is moving, moving, moving," he said.
"But I think if not [for] the progression, [we] will lose the territory much more faster.
"So when we just arrived to our allies to make some training, it helps... so we can stop them where the position will... help us to defend more."
Fifty thousand Ukrainian troops have been trained under Operation Interflex since June 2022.
Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard, who is in the east of England to mark the 1,000th day of the war, told BFBS Forces News it sends a clear message to President Putin.
"Every single one of them shows that Ukraine does not stand alone, that they have the support of not just the United Kingdom and the Nato alliance, but countries further afield like Australia, as well," he said.
On BFBS Forces News' visit to the Interflex training site, the Ukrainians are honing their skills in trench warfare.
While Operation Interflex started out as a basic infantry training program, it has evolved as the war has gone on.
Now, leadership and instructor training courses are run here too.
Lieutenant Colonel Smith, Commanding Officer of the Training Delivery Unit, said it is easy to be motivated for the work they are doing preparing Ukrainian troops for the frontline.
"We all know that we are preparing these people to go and fight a war and that's a pretty useful motivator in terms of knowing that everything we do here is injecting a bit of support, a bit of help," he said.
"And if we can make them a bit more survivable, a bit more lethal and increase their offensive spirit, then that's a good thing."
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