Ukrainians Receiving Infantry Training in the UK

The British have pledged to train 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers over 120 days

Hundreds of Ukrainians are receiving infantry training in the UK as the British have pledged to train up to 10,000 Ukrainian troops within 120 days, The Associated Press reported Monday.

The Ukrainians are being put through a condensed version of the British Army’s infantry training that lasts a few weeks. The program includes training in marksmanship, battlefield first aid, and house clearing as the Ukrainians are preparing for urban warfare.

“We are running a basic infantry course, which takes Ukrainian recruits and teaches them to shoot well, to move and communicate well within any tactical environment, and to medicate well,” said Maj. Craig Hutton, a British officer overseeing the training.

The first batch of Ukrainians arrived for training in Britain last month and have already returned to Ukraine. The effort is part of the UK’s military aid to Ukraine, which has so far totaled about $2.8 billion since Russia launched its invasion on February 24.

Other countries have pledged to help the effort to train Ukrainians inside the UK, including New Zealand, Canada, the Netherlands, and the Nordic nations. New Zealand announced Monday that it plans to send 120 troops to Britain to assist in the training.

The training demonstrates the West’s deep involvement in the war in Ukraine and support for Kyiv against Moscow. Last week, a group of 26 Western nations reaffirmed their plans to support Ukraine in its war for the long term, a sign that the conflict will not end anytime soon.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.