Australia to expand military training program for Ukrainian forces in 2024
Illustrative photo (Photo: Getty Images)
Australia will expand its commitments to train recruits from the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of Operation Kudu in 2024, according to the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Australia.
Since January this year, Australian soldiers have helped train over 1,200 recruits as part of a multinational training mission led by the United Kingdom to support Ukraine's national defense following Russia's invasion.
The latest rotation of 70 Australian Defense Force (ADF) instructors returned to Darwin this week. Over the next 12 months, the number of ADF personnel deployed in each rotation will increase to 90 individuals.
Australia's role will be expanded to include a program focusing on training junior commanders in areas such as basic combat skills, including urban and trench warfare, battlefield first aid, explosive ordnance awareness, and marksmanship.
Since June 2022, more than 30,000 Ukrainian military personnel have undergone training, supported by personnel from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and most recently, Romania.
Australia's assistance to Ukraine
Since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion, Australia has provided Ukraine with 20,000 rounds of ammunition, 70 M113AS4 armored personnel carriers, 20 Bushmaster light armored vehicles, 14 Switchblade loitering munition systems, and 30,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles.
