UK to increase efforts to help Ukrainian soldiers manage stress of combat

28 December 2024, 00:05 | Updated: 28 December 2024, 00:50

The UK is to increase efforts to help train Ukrainian soldiers to manage the stresses of combat.

The Ministry of Defence said it expects the Combat Stress Signposting Course (CSSC), delivered by British Army specialists, to be undertaken by 180 Ukrainian commanders in 2025 compared with 100 in 2024.

The combat mental resilience practitioners, officially known as control stress operators, will have responsibility to help their soldiers on the front lines as they continue to defend Ukraine from Russia's renewed invasion.

The five-week course includes teaching battle shock management techniques, such as a six-step way to help a person in acute stress return to a functioning state in less than a minute.

It also includes trauma risk management and helping soldiers find clinical support following the fight.

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Defence minister Luke Pollard said: "The Ukrainian people are fighting with huge courage to defend their country and it is our duty to put them in the strongest possible position.

"With hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers receiving mental health first aid training before returning to the frontlines, resilience can be spread throughout the ranks of those fighting Russia's illegal invasion.

"The UK will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine throughout 2025 as we have done this year."

UK-led Operation Interflex has helped train 51,000 Ukrainians in frontline combat skills since it was established in the summer of 2022 following Russia's renewed invasion.

The UK also provides £3 billion-a-year support for Ukraine and MPs recently offered their support to legislation designed to provide loans and other financial assistance.

Defence Secretary John Healey, during a visit to Kyiv last week, said the UK will "step up" on international leadership on Ukraine in 2025.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also stressed the need for allies to "stand together with Ukraine" during a phone call with US president-elect Donald Trump this month.

Western allies are braced for a possible change of US stance to the conflict, with Mr Trump saying he could end the war "in a day".

Russia has launched attacks against Ukraine's power facilities in recent days.

Forces from the two countries are also still involved in a battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine.