PM announces package of non-lethal support to Ukraine
The Prime Minister has announced today that the UK will provide further non-lethal support to Ukraine by sending advisory and short-term training teams to build the capacity and resilience of its Armed Forces.
Library Picture: Medical training
As part of wider efforts to support Ukraine and ensure a robust international response to Russia’s aggression, the teams will provide medical, logistics, infantry and intelligence capacity building training from mid March.
The UK Service Personnel will be based in Ukraine delivering support and training to their counterparts. The majority of this advisory and training support will take place in Ukraine, well away from the areas affected by the conflict in the East of the country.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
In light of continued Russian-backed aggression, the UK is committed to providing additional non-lethal support to Ukraine to help them deal with the pressures they are facing.
Today’s announcement builds upon the work that we have already undertaken through NATO and bilaterally. This will help the Ukrainian Armed Forces develop and maintain the capacity and resilience that they need.
Medical Short Term Training Team
We will be providing combat life support training. It is envisaged that this will include a ‘train the trainer’ package so that Ukrainian personnel can develop the capability to train their own personnel in due course. We will be using individual first aid kits to support this training and, in due course, will seek to gift further kits to help support the ongoing Ukrainian capacity building effort.
Logistics Short Term Training Team
The team will help the Ukrainian Armed Forces understand the deficiencies within their logistics distribution system and then help to provide training and support to improve their practices and processes.
Infantry Short Term Training Team
A small team will travel out to identify what training requirements the Ukrainian Armed Forces need.
Intelligence Capacity Building Short Term Training Team
The aim is to provide tactical level analysis training, which would help individuals to analyse information and from this disseminate intelligence to allow them better to understand their environment.
This support is in addition to ongoing defence engagement activities with Ukraine which include support on crisis management, anti-corruption, defence reform and strategic communications, and we will also be delivering procurement training in the coming weeks. Over the last year the UK has also provided personal protective equipment, winter fuel, medical kits, winter clothing and sleeping bags to the Ukrainian Armed Forces: this support totals over £1.2 million.
Our policy since the start of the crisis has been to provide non-lethal assistance to Ukrainian armed forces, in line with our assessment that there must be a political solution to this crisis.
We will continue to focus on support and assistance that will reduce fatalities and casualties amongst members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and build their capacity and resilience.
We are also working closely with key allies through the Ukraine/ US Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation and Defence Reform.