Category
War in Ukraine

Exclusive Look at Ukraine’s Gritty Trench Warfare Drills for Foreign Fighters

3 min read
Authors
Photo of Mykyta Shandyba
Mykyta Shandyba
Photojournalist

At a Ukrainian military training ground, foreign fighters are learning what it takes to survive trench warfare. Many are American and British volunteers—some with prior military service, others with none—now training under Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade “Sicheslav”.

Foreign volunteers stand at attention during a trench warfare drill led by Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade. The training focuses on close-quarters combat in frontline conditions.
Foreign volunteers stand at attention during a trench warfare drill led by Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade. The training focuses on close-quarters combat in frontline conditions.

The 25th Sicheslav  Brigade is no ordinary unit. Formed in 1993 and based in the Dnipropetrovsk region, it’s part of Ukraine’s elite Air Assault Forces. Battle-tested in Ilovaisk, Debaltseve, and countless operations since 2014, the brigade remains a frontline force in the war against Russia.

Its specialty? Rapid strikes, urban combat, and deep-penetration assaults. That speed, discipline, and battlefield grit are now being passed on to international volunteers stepping into Ukraine’s fight.

A foreign fighter navigates a trench during combat training with Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade.
A foreign fighter navigates a trench during combat training with Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade.
A foreign volunteer moves through a narrow trench during a close-combat training exercise, weapon raised and senses sharp.
A foreign volunteer moves through a narrow trench during a close-combat training exercise, weapon raised and senses sharp.
Another recruit holds position in a fortified trench, training to survive and fight in the brutal, close-quarters conditions of Ukraine’s frontlines.
Another recruit holds position in a fortified trench, training to survive and fight in the brutal, close-quarters conditions of Ukraine’s frontlines.

A core phase of the training zeroes in on close-combat skills tailored for the chaos of trench warfare—tight spaces, fast turns, and no room for error. The training site mimics the front: a maze of trenches and fortified positions. Here, foreign recruits learn how to storm enemy lines, clear trenches, cover each other under fire, and stay alive in the blur of close-in fighting.

Emphasis is placed on moving in small groups, coordinating under pressure, and protecting one another during high-stakes assaults.

A foreign fighter takes cover along a trench wall, weapon ready, during a close-quarters combat drill simulating frontline assaults in Ukraine.
A foreign fighter takes cover along a trench wall, weapon ready, during a close-quarters combat drill simulating frontline assaults in Ukraine.
A foreign fighter takes cover along a trench wall, weapon ready, during a close-quarters combat drill simulating frontline assaults in Ukraine.
A foreign fighter takes cover along a trench wall, weapon ready, during a close-quarters combat drill simulating frontline assaults in Ukraine.
A drone drops a training grenade during a simulated attack, adding pressure and realism to close-combat drills run by Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade.
A drone drops a training grenade during a simulated attack, adding pressure and realism to close-combat drills run by Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade.

The drills are loud, messy, and deliberately intense. Pyro, smoke, airsoft rounds, and training grenades simulate real-world pressure. Ukrainian combat vets watch every move, barking corrections, fixing spacing or improper use of shelter.

A trainee hits the ground as a simulated grenade detonates overhead, part of a high-pressure drill mimicking the chaos of real trench combat.
A trainee hits the ground as a simulated grenade detonates overhead, part of a high-pressure drill mimicking the chaos of real trench combat.

Group coordination is a top priority. With language barriers and varying military backgrounds, effective communication is a challenge—commands are kept short and often delivered through hand signals. In this environment, synchronized teamwork matters more than firepower.

A foreign fighter advances through a trench with rifle raised, practicing fast, aggressive movement under simulated combat conditions.
A foreign fighter advances through a trench with rifle raised, practicing fast, aggressive movement under simulated combat conditions.

But this isn’t just about tactics. Instructors are building a mindset—calm under fire, fast on instinct, and wired for survival. This mental resilience, they say, is often what separates solid units from dead ones.

More foreigners are joining Ukraine’s defense every week. Training like this prepares them for what lies ahead: a war fought meter by meter, often face to face.

Between drills, foreign volunteers gather around weapons and gear for a field briefing under the open sky in eastern Ukraine.
Between drills, foreign volunteers gather around weapons and gear for a field briefing under the open sky in eastern Ukraine.
Silhouetted against a starry sky, fighters prepare gear and receive final instructions before a nighttime training operation begins.
Silhouetted against a starry sky, fighters prepare gear and receive final instructions before a nighttime training operation begins.

Watch the full video to see Ukrainian vs. Foreign fighters drills in action:

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Sicheslav means “Glory to the Sich,” referring to the Zaporizhzhian Sich—the historic Cossack stronghold. It’s a symbolic name tied to Ukrainian Cossack heritage and pride.

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