His Majesty The King visited Ukrainian military recruits undertaking training in the South West of England at the end of February.

His Majesty watched a short defensive training exercise by recruits who were undertaking a combat course ahead of their return to fight in Ukraine.
The British Army’s Chief of General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen, accompanied His Majesty, and was given a brief outline of the training being delivered before witnessing a demonstration of some of the skills the recruits had been learning.
He said: “It was an honour to join His Majesty The King in meeting Ukrainian recruits undertaking vital training in the South West of England today.
“This is an international training effort being led by the UK and partner nations and has seen over 10,000 Ukrainian recruits complete the programme.”

His Majesty also met many of the Ukrainian recruits and their interpreters and also spoke to some of the military personnel from 1st Battalion Irish Guards and the Ranger Regiment who delivered the training, along with those who have joined forces with the British Army, including instructors from the New Zealand, Australian and Canadian forces.
Company Second in Command, 1st Battalion The Irish Guards, Captain Freddie Bradshaw said: “To hear that The King was coming to visit today was very exciting, not only for the Ukrainian recruits but also for those of us who are training them. It means a lot to us all to know that he is interested in what is taking place here.”
The course is 35-days long and trains the recruits with two primary principles providing the backbone of the training – survivability and lethality.

The recruits are being taught how to survive in a hostile environment and how to use deadly force against their adversaries. Key focus areas include basic fieldcraft, medical care, marksmanship and weapon handling.
Most of the recruits have little or no military experience when they arrive on the course, though some have experience fighting on the frontline.
The UK, along with its international partners, has trained just over 10,000 Ukrainian recruits in the last six months.