Ukraine will stop training soldiers abroad

As emphasised by Colonel Yevhen Mezhevikin, Deputy Chief of the Main Directorate of Doctrine and Training, “this will allow us to respond more quickly to changes on the front line and avoid wasting time moving personnel between countries.” On-site training will also facilitate the exchange of experience between seasoned veterans and newly mobilised troops.

According to Mezhevikin, not all Western partners fully understand the specific nature of the ongoing war. Foreign training programs were often hindered or even blocked by legal complications. Relocating the entire effort to Ukraine will enable more efficient implementation of training activities.

However, this does not mean that Ukrainian soldiers will disappear from the West altogether. Ukrainian troops have participated in NATO exercises, where they acted as the simulated adversary. This allowed allied nations to gain a better understanding of Ukraine’s combat experience from the Russo-Ukrainian war. Members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue to take part in such exercises.

In 2025, the number of Ukrainian soldiers trained in the West exceeded 100,000. According to some sources, this figure may reach as high as 200,000.