The training will give volunteer recruits with little or no military experience the skills to be effective in frontline combat

The Ukrainian soldiers being trained in the UK have met UK defence secretary Ben Wallace, Press Association reports, at the start of their training, which is expected to last several weeks.

Wallace said: “This ambitious new training programme is the next phase in the UK’s support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in their fight against Russian aggression. Using the world-class expertise of the British Army we will help Ukraine to rebuild its forces and scale up its resistance as they defend their country’s sovereignty and their right to choose their own future.”

The training will give volunteer recruits with little or no military experience the skills to be effective in frontline combat. Based on the UK’s basic soldier training, the course covers weapons handling, battlefield first aid, fieldcraft, patrol tactics and the law of armed conflict.

The government has procured thousands of AK assault rifles for the programme, meaning Ukrainian soldiers can train on the weapons they will be using on the front line.