UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said that British troops are extending training support for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
British troops will provide Ukrainian personnel with new military courses covering aspects such as countering attacks from snipers, armoured vehicles and mortars.
According to Fallon, the extended training support will help Ukrainian soldiers to protect themselves against these threats in Donbas, Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the Donbas conflict in March 2014, 2,700 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed and a further 10,000 have been injured.
Fallon said: “We continue to stand side by side with our Ukrainian friends in the face of Russian belligerence and aggression.
“By stepping up our training programmes we are sending a clear message that we support the people of Ukraine and are firmly committed to its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
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By GlobalDataThe new training elements will be launched later this year.
To date, the UK has directly trained more than 5,000 members of Ukraine’s Armed Forces in 14 locations outside of Donbas.
Since 2015, more than 1,300 British personnel from 11 different regiments have been deployed in support of Operation ORBITAL.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel were trained in a number of skills, such as identification of mines and improvised explosive devices, medical care, and logistics.
Last year, Fallon confirmed that the training mission will continue until at least early 2018.