Nearly 1,000 Ukrainian marines are gearing up to head home after an intensive training session by Royal Marine Commandos.
This six-month UK programme aimed to teach Ukraine’s forces the nuances of small boat amphibious operations, notably beach raids using inflatable boats.
Announced by the Prime Minister during President Zelenskyy’s UK visit in February, the programme marked the UK’s first amphibious training venture for Ukraine. The pinnacle of the training saw Ukrainian marines both planning and executing raids in varying conditions – both day and night.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace underscored the UK’s commitment, saying, “The UK has led the way in training the Armed Force of Ukraine, providing world-leading training in frontline combat skills to more than 20,000 of Ukraine’s Army recruits through Operation Interflex.”
Wallace further elaborated on the essence of the programme, stating that it will assist “Ukraine to build its own distinct marine force and expand its capability to operate in a maritime environment.”
In terms of specifics, around 900 Ukrainian marines completed this course. Their training spanned an array of military activities: utilising Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapons (NLAW), operating Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, using mortars, deploying drones for reconnaissance, and carrying out explosive demolitions of hindrances, including the Dragon’s Teeth anti-vehicle fortifications.
Significantly, the equipment leveraged in the training mirrors some of the military aid the UK has previously extended to Ukraine. This includes an impressive tally of over 10,000 anti-tank weapons, encompassing thousands of NLAW systems.
Now go forth and cause havoc. Good luck chaps!
If need be they may be able to protect Mirage 2000 in Ukraine during ground operations, before next Scalp/Storm Shadow raid.
??? Ain’t no mirage 2000 in Ukraine. The SU-24 carry the storm Shadow.
Rumor is growing in France that they have been delivered 2 weeks ago, with seamingly the ability to deliver the stormshadow, which strongly suggest upgrades since mirage 2000 C were written off french inventory last year. The cells were not compatible with Scalp. I can only guess that they have received an update before being sent to Ukraine. The scale of the upgrade is unknown. (Air to ground kit, air to air radar upgrade, mica NG integration?) That’ s a « strong rumour », which is a bit surprising, but « a bit only », since training is ongoing for month despite half hearted… Read more »
It can’t be true. Firstly if Macron had been the first western leader to donate jets to Ukraine we would most definitely have heard about this in every news centre and there would have been a press release. Macron would have been more than certain to have used the moment as much as possible Second point is that would be a stark change to France’s previous actions in supporting Ukraine, which this far can best be described as timid, delayed, overly debated, reluctant and only enacted when France has been embarrassed by international partners like the UK, USA, Australia and… Read more »
I don’t know about political interpretation, this is difficult to get grasp on.
What I am sure of is Russia is looking for any planes we will donate and will try to destroy them right away. Nobody doubts that. Hence secops is high.
Most équipement France send to Ukraine is undisclosed. Intereting assets from UK are not disclosed either
SU-24 also carries french scalp now: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.eurasiantimes.com/first-video-showing-ukrainian-su-24-fighter-bomber-armed-with-french-scalp-eg-missile-surfaces-online/
If you fully read the article you may also notice the following statement:
“Additionally, an intriguing emblem featuring a combination of half Mirage 2000 and half Su-24 was observed on the missile.”.
A very interesting picture of the kerch bridge from a few hours ago
And a video from the other side
Haven’t figured out if anything actually hit it. Russia says 2 missiles were shot down. So probably the opposite happened.
Strike on 4 sections, that’ll put it out of action for a considerable period of time. If they’ve been successful strikes and destroyed the deck or better dropped sections.
The Kirch bridge was however designed to be very resistant to damage. Only it’s central arch section over the deep water shipping route is a single span. If that was dropped it really would put the bridge out of action for a very long period of time
How long will it be until Ukranian troops are training and advising Western militaries?
They are certainly getting the experience the hard way, experience which will be valuable in the future.
or not
“NATO training leaves Ukrainian troops ‘underprepared’ for warhttps://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/ukraine-russia-training-nato-west-military/
Ukrainian Troops Trained by the West Stumble in Battlehttps://news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-troops-trained-west-stumble-180629286.html
Not sure if the command training is aligned with the troops training or its cultural issues
More to do with long term indoctrination by Ukrainian head sheds, not happy with the long game, where combined arms assault western style seems to be moving slowly, going back to Soviet doctrine of just going for it hammer style, and subsequently losing valuable people and western platforms. That’s my thinking on the issue.
Now was it a 6 month course for one group or a number of smaller course’s with smaller groups over a 6 month period, as that is a long time in comparison to the Armies shorter Combat Infantrymen course they are doing fit the Ukrainians? If 6 months very impressed and no doubt now lots of high quality and motivated Ukrainian marines ready to go! I wonder if these guys will also have the ability to get naked, at a moment’s notice at the drop of a hat……good job all round, keep it up!
Fit, bloody hell should read for!
If u don’t like make nudity then ur not a marine. I was living on a training location with marines, after breakfast they all go out apart from 1 soon to be retiring officer. I’ve waited for them to leave to get a shower. There are 4 showers in the toilets 2 facing each other on one side 2 on the other side. No shower curtains. 2 mins I’m in the shower and in pops the one remaining marine and pops in the shower directly opposite me. Chatting like we are down the pub! I’m not in the forces so… Read more »
To be fair, most blokes (and lasses) in uniform dont have an issue with nudity, simply due to shared showers and ablutions , in Bosnia we had a shower set up for the rapid reaction force which was aptly renamed as “Shindlers” and I can remember over 100 blokes sharing an open shower they had set up in a former cattle pen , (As sods law would have it, they turned the water off as I was still soaped up, so I ended up rinsing myself stark bollocked naked via the use of a stand pipe .) Now we have girlies… Read more »
Yeah after that first shower incident the next bunch weren’t so Awkward. I shared a room with 3 other soldiers for 2 weeks at ballater, shared showers etc. Once you have had a conversation with 2 big Fijians towelling off ur life perspectives change.
Ah to be fair that’s standard SOP for many in the military, living so close together tongue in cheek breaks down pretty much all barriers! However the Royals do like a naked bar!!!! And that can get the locals a bit grumpy 😂
1st exercise I ever did in the army Ex Dawn Patrol along with 16 Para Bde in Sardinia. We had a mobile field shower unit for about 2000 guys in the tented camp, all you got was a long line of squaddies and 45 seconds to lather up and rinse off.
A quick 45 seconds lather……mmmmmm that sounds quite fun!!!!!!!!!!
Airborne wrote:
“”Now was it a 6 month course for one group or a number of smaller course’s””
5 week courses which over a 6 month period adds up to 200 a course. which is still a huge intake and I suppose the RTU rate is close to zero.
Cheers mate, good number! More to come hopefully 👍
Now in a class of their own compared to Russian elite forces and a tad fitter!
You couldn’t miss this …. blindfolded 😂
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FWMrjk-WAAA5U73.jpg
Now that’s a guy I wouldn’t want to meet in the shower😂😂😂
I wonder what his bill is for soap!
He probably keeps losing it🫣
OT, I just read and observed a Russkie SU30 pile in in the Kaliningrad area. No parachutes observed as quite low level. Sad (maybe) but if you want to play with the big boys you have to spend money and time on both training and logistics/equipment and servicing. Putting pilots up with 40hrs per year and expecting them to fly and fight well, is ludicrous. Good for the West and Ukraine, and the free world, bad for the Nazi Oligarch nonce squad who want to gain complete power. However good result in my eyes.
“using inflatable boats.” Pity we didn’t find some ORCs to pass along, especially the gunboat versions.
Link is to the 539 lads who were embarked with us on Taurus 09. Royal really, really, rreally wantedto fit the ships Force Protection mini guns to the gunboats when on the Brunei Riverine warfare exercise so that they could chop some trees down!
Fortunately sane heads (mine being one of them) prevailed!
Taurus 09 ORCs – YouTube
Back in the 80’s doing FTX’s across Germany, the TA would deploy their mobile Bath and shower units. You had to pull a lever down to get the water to flow. Bit difficult to wash with just one hand, so guys took a piece of string, tied it to the lever and then their big toe. 20 blokes, stark naked showering with bits of green string. 😀