The United Kingdom is considering sending military instructors to Ukraine.
The United Kingdom is considering the possibility of sending its military instructors to Ukraine to train Ukrainian soldiers. According to the plan, small groups of British instructors may be deployed to the western part of Ukraine, where they will conduct intensive training for recruits before their deployment to the front lines.
As reported by The Times, this decision would help resolve logistical issues related to transporting Ukrainian military personnel to the UK for training. This move would also save significant resources, two sources familiar with the situation revealed.
It is noted that since the onset of the full-scale war, within the multinational military operation "Interflex," led by the UK, tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have already undergone training in the United Kingdom. British Defense Minister John Healey stated that one of the biggest challenges in this process is ensuring that the Ukrainian side provides the necessary personnel for the training. A source in the UK Ministry of Defense also emphasized that conducting training in Ukraine would not only be more economically advantageous but also safer, as it would take place far from combat zones.
According to The Times, the Ukrainian side believes that sending instructors to Ukraine would serve as an important military-political signal to both the global community and Russia. This would effectively mark the first deployment of NATO infrastructure on Ukrainian territory, enhancing the deterrent effect.
British military personnel would also have the opportunity to learn new combat skills in collaboration with Ukrainian soldiers. Additionally, British forces would have the chance to test modern types of weaponry used in the conflict, the expert added.
How the decision to send foreign military personnel to Ukraine came about
On August 24, it became known that the foreign ministers and defense ministers of European Union countries would discuss for the first time the possibility of sending military instructors to Ukraine. However, Germany, Slovenia, and Hungary opposed sending instructors to Ukraine. It was then expected that a final decision on this matter would be made no later than November.
As of the end of August, it was known that the European Union does not plan to send its military instructors to Ukraine. This was agreed upon by the foreign ministers of the bloc's countries during a meeting in Brussels. This was confirmed by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who noted that the training of Ukrainian soldiers would take place outside of Ukraine. However, he mentioned that this process would be organized as close to the Ukrainian borders as possible.
Furthermore, Informator reported that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, had already signed a separate permission and stated that he was open to instructors from France training the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, there have still been no confirmed reports of instructors being in Ukraine or any indication that they will arrive in the future.
Follow our Telegram channel to stay updated on important news. You can subscribe to our Viber channel here.