NZDF to train Ukrainian soldiers

WELLINGTON: New Zealand will send up to another 120 military personnel to the United Kingdom to help train Ukrainian soldiers to defend against Russia after the completion of the previous 30strong deployment.

Travel to the UK would be on commercial flights over the next three weeks, and the New Zealand Defence Force deployment would last until November 30.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Defence Minister Peeni Henare, and chief of defence force Air Marshal Kevin Short announced the move yesterday.

They said the deployment would enable two teams to train Ukrainian infantry with skills for frontline combat, including weapon handling, combat first aid, operational law and more.

It would contribute to the UK’s efforts to train 10,000 Ukrainian troops.

Ms Ardern said soldier training was now one of the highest priorities for Ukraine.

‘‘It will be similar to the previous artillery training deployment from May, although at a much larger scale, and this deployment will be focused on infantry training.’’

Mr Henare said the training would be done only at four locations in the UK and New Zealand personnel would not enter Ukraine.

The decision brings the total number of NZDF personnel deployed to support Ukraine in the war to 224, a comparable amount to partner nations such as Denmark (130) and Sweden (120), Ms Ardern said.

The decisions about New Zealand’s contribution to the Ukraine war effort were weighted towards what it needed and requested, what was able to be supported by other partners in the region, and New Zealand’s strengths, she said.

‘‘What we’ve seen is that the calls for support have been consistent and they’ve been varied, but what Ukraine is often seeking is very much what we’re responding to because they have a real mixture of those who have some basic training to those who have none.’’

Mr Henare said there was an initial request for New Zealand to send LAVs (light armoured vehicles), but he said it was inefficient and ineffective to send these vehicles.

The LAV was ‘‘an older piece of kit’’ and getting parts for them was proving difficult, he said.

In a statement, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said the deployment would support New Zealand’s strategic interests and was a demonstration of the country’s independent foreign policy. — RNZ