British special forces have returned to training local troops in Kyiv for the first time since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February, teaching Ukrainian troops how to use UK-supplied anti-tank weapons, Ukrainian commanders have confirmed to The Times.
The United Kingdom’s military instructors from had been teaching the Ukrainian Army for years, but they officially left the country in February to avoid direct confrontations with Russian forces which could lead to a conflict between NATO and Russia.
British SAS troops were withdrawn from Ukraine two months ago when NATO member states were expecting the Russian military offensive.
Ukrainian Captain Yury Mironenko and two other commanders, identified only by their nicknames, explained that the British special forces have now returned to teach them how to use NLAWs, UK-supplied shoulder-fired anti-tank missile launchers.
Mironenko revealed that the units which received the training are stationed in Kyiv, but previously the people who knew how to use NLAWs were in other places, so they had to go on YouTube to teach themselves.
Although British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said this week that a group of Ukrainian soldiers would travel to the UK for training, the UK Defense Ministry refused to confirm if the British commandos had visited Ukraine.
Heappey claimed on Tuesday that the Ukrainian military will be trained to drive armored transport vehicles but pointed out that the training will take place on British soil.
Sending weapons ranging from anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile systems to armored vehicles, London has been one of Kyiv’s primary arms suppliers and Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised more support to the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his surprise visit to Kyiv last week.
Johnson, according to media reports, agreed to supply Ukraine with 120 armored vehicles and new anti-ship missile systems.
Be the first to comment