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- The UK has provided around 1,000 additional surface to air missiles to help counter the Russian threat to Ukrainian infrastructure.
- The Defense Secretary made the announcement while visiting the training sites along with NATO Secretary General and JEF Defense Ministers.
- The UK has now trained over 7,400 recruits from the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and over 60 AFU junior leaders.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has announced that the UK will soon complete the delivery of around 1,000 additional surface-to-air missiles to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). This comes in response to Ukrainian requests for more air defense capabilities, and the missiles will play an important role in providing air defense for Ukraine and protecting its critical infrastructure that is constantly targeted by Russia.
The missiles can be used in conjunction with the capabilities of Ukraine’s existing armed forces. The equipment includes launchers and missiles and is capable of destroying aerial targets, including Russian drones and cruise missiles.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said:
This commitment of hundreds more surface-to-air missiles continues our defensive support for Ukraine against Russian aggression – and will help Ukraine counter the threat of illegal targeting of critical national infrastructure.
The announcement comes as the Defense Secretary today visited two training sites where 7,400 Ukrainian recruits are being trained by UK forces alongside eight partner countries.
At the sites used for training, the Defense Secretary welcomed NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the morning, and this afternoon welcomed their counterparts from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations, some of whom could be seen conducting their own military personnel. training
Currently 1,900 Ukrainian recruits are taking part in a training program in the UK and will soon return to their home country. When they complete training, they are given items including combat clothing, body armor and ear protection, waterproofs and sleeping bags.
Recruits are also given a fully stocked personal first aid kit after learning how to use tourniquets, field dressings and chest seals during training. Recruits leaving the UK will now be provided with extreme cold weather kits, announced by the Prime Minister today, including 25,000 sets of extreme cold weather clothing, 20,000 sleeping bags and 150 insulated tents.
The announcement comes in response to Ukrainian requests for more cold weather equipment. Ukrainian troops continue to battle to liberate their country from Russian forces as winter fast approaches, when temperatures in parts of the country could plunge to minus 20°C and below.
Heavy duty sleeping bags and roll mats, combined with warm shelter and personal winter clothing, will help prevent cold-related injuries and ensure Soldiers can function effectively and efficiently.
Brigadier Justin Stenhouse, commander of UK basic training for Ukrainian recruits, said:
We have equipped more than 9,000 Ukrainian recruits to ensure they have the necessary personal protective equipment, including helmets, body armor and webbing, to help fight the Russian invasion. The effort to support this from across the logistics community has been impressive and no small undertaking.
Ukrainian recruits, many of whom have no military experience, have shown exemplary courage, resilience and a willingness to learn that has been humbling to observe. Our instructors did a great job training these recruits to live and fight using their new equipment and transform them from civilians to soldiers in just five weeks.
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