The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence is considering sending British military instructors to Ukraine to assist in the training of its Defense Forces personnel, British Defense Secretary John Healey revealed during a visit to Kyiv, reported the BBC on December 19.
While in Kyiv, Healey discussed plans for increased UK support for Ukraine in 2024.
Healey declined to give specifics on what the additional support could be, saying the plans would “have to remain, let’s say, unavailable to [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin”.
BBC reported that the possibility of deploying British troops to assist with training has not been ruled out.
“We need to simplify access for Ukrainians and collaborate with them to help recruit and motivate more new soldiers,” Healey said.
The UK also plans to continue Operation Interflex, its ongoing program for training Ukrainian soldiers on British soil, through 2025.
“Even if the fighting stops, your need for military training, defense assistance, solidarity, and support from the UK will remain,” Healy added.
To enhance the quality of training, the program’s duration has been extended from 35 to 50 days. The training is continually adapted to battlefield needs, including tactical preparation and the use of specific weapon systems such as drones and electronic warfare equipment.
Earlier, EU defense ministers announced an increase in the number of Ukrainian military personnel by another 15,000, to train 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers and other military personnel as part of its ongoing effort to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
-924c3c302c27387e19f6c44aaeb98745.png "Maryna Kulakova")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
