Proud to help Ukraine fight
MARLES, WONG VISIT
ALL Australians should feel “a sense of pride” that the country’s armed services are training everyday Ukrainians in their fight against Russia.
That’s the message from Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, who visited the Operation Kudu site in the UK.
Australian soldiers have been deployed to Wiltshire, in south England, to help the UK-led operation, which aims to train thousands of Ukrainian volunteers – many of whom have no military experience.
There, Australian forces are running intensive combat courses for the Ukrainians – giving them an accelerated basic infantry training that will prepare them for the “brutal, dangerous” environment they’ll encounter when they return home.
Senator Wong said she had been “profoundly humbled” by the visit.
“I’ve had moving moments before talking about this issue, and I’ve met with members of the Australian-Ukrainian community, but to be here and to speak with those brave Ukrainians who have come here in order to learn better how to defend their country is profoundly humbling,” Senator Wong said.
“I want to acknowledge them and also the Australians working here with others to better prepare and train these brave men and women.”
Mr Marles said with no end in sight, Australia was proud to play a role in giving Ukrainians an edge in Vladimir Putin’s “brutal” conflict.
“It is very poignant to be here and to see the work that our Australian trainers are doing in training Ukrainian soldiers,” he said.
“This is a citizen army in place now in Ukraine. The people who are being trained have come from normal jobs. They have volunteered in order to defend their country. And what they face is intense danger when they go home, and the training that Australians are providing will enable Ukraine to stay in this fight as long as possible.”
The five-week course, run by Australian and British troops and known as Operation Interflex, gives recruits a basic overview of the tactics required to succeed on the battlefield.
They are trained in basic weaponry, including using drones in war, and taught how to survive in the elements.
Around 10,000 Ukrainians have already completed the course – only a minority of whom had any military experience.