SYNOPSIS
UK troops have been teaching Ukrainian soldiers how to disable landmines, munitions and other explosive devices. The HALO Trust, a non-governmental organisation that works to clear landmines left behind by conflicts, estimates that up to two million landmines may have been laid in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, claiming the lives of many Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel and civilians.
The explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) training is part of Operation Interflex, a UK-led operation to train Ukrainian Armed Forces since July 2022. Other NATO Allies and partner countries providing trainers for Operation Interflex include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania and Sweden. Personnel from Kosovo security organisations also participate in Operation Interflex.
Footage includes shots of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel being briefed by instructors before taking part in a practical exercise plus soundbites from a British Army trainer and Ukrainian trainees.
SHOTLIST
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(00:00) WIDE SHOT – SOLDIER KNEELING IN FOREGROUND, SOLDIERS LISTENING TO TRAINER’S INSTRUCTIONS IN BACKGROUND
(00:04) MEDIUM SHOT – BRITISH ARMY’S ROYAL REGIMENT OF SCOTLAND PATCH ON A SOLDIER’S ARM IN FOREGROUND, SOLDIERS LISTENING TO TRAINER’S INSTRUCTIONS IN BACKGROUND
(00:09) CLOSE SHOT – SOLDIER’S FEET BEHIND WHITE MARKER PROTRUDING FROM GROUND
(00:13) CLOSE SHOT – UKRAINIAN ARMY PATCH ON A SOLDIER’S ARM IN FOREGROUND, SOLDIERS LISTENING TO TRAINER’S INSTRUCTIONS IN BACKGROUND
(00:17) VARIOUS SHOTS – SOLDIER LISTENING TO INSTRUCTION, TRAINER GIVING INSTRUCTION
(00:25) VARIOUS SHOTS – SOLDIER CARRYING A BOX OF EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL (EOD) TRAINING TOOLS
(00:34) VARIOUS SHOTS – FEMALE UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS LOOKING AT CAMERA LISTENING TO INSTRUCTION
(00:59) VARIOUS SHOTS – MALE UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS LOOKING AT CAMERA LISTENING TO INSTRUCTION
(01:16) VARIOUS CLOSE SHOTS – TRAINER DELIVERING INSTRUCTIONS
(01:34) CLOSE SHOT (NO SOUND) – SOLDIERS GIVE ROUND OF APPLAUSE
(01:38) VARIOUS SHOTS - SOLDIER KNEELING USING TOOL TO INSPECT THE GROUND WHILE BRITISH ARMY TRAINER COMMENTS AND OBSERVES
(01:51) VARIOUS SHOTS - SOLDIERS KNEELING/LYING DOWN USING TOOL TO INSPECT THE GROUND
(02:13) VARIOUS SHOTS - SOLDIERS KNEELING USING TOOL TO INSPECT THE GROUND, PLACING MARKERS IN INSPECTED AREAS
(02:30) MEDIUM SHOT – SWEDISH FLAG FLYING FROM FLAGPOLE, ROW OF BARRACKS IN THE BACKGROUND
(02:34) MEDIUM SHOT – UKRAINIAN AND DANISH FLAGS FLYING FROM FLAGPOLE, ROW OF BARRACKS IN THE BACKGROUND
(02:40) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) BRITISH ARMY TRAINER
“A lot of them do come straight from the front line. They'll come back here. So I will say that I do respect that they're coming here. They're taking on the lessons. Most of them are fully into it, trying to learn everything they can to take away, to go back to then fight back on the front lines.”
(02:40) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) BRITISH ARMY TRAINER
“Working with all these other nations, it goes to show that this war is quite a big deal as to how it's going on. And it does make it seem like a much more important job, since you've got Australians, you've got Swedes, you've got a bunch of other nations from NATO that are working with us. And it goes to show, it's a much bigger thing than a lot of people seem to realise now. It's bigger, more than it was before.”
(03:22) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) BRITISH ARMY TRAINER
“I do feel kind of proud as to the fact that we are teaching these Ukrainians what the essential skills they need to win this war so they can go home and do just that.”
(03:32) SOUNDBITE (UKRAINIAN) TRAINEE FROM UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES
“So what I did before Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine. I had my own business. I had an interesting life, full of work, full of travelling. But it happened so that I had to join the army to protect our country.”
(03:51) SOUNDBITE (UKRAINIAN) TRAINEE FROM UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES
“If we have encountered mines? Yes, we constantly encounter mines because we were on the territory that we had liberated after the departure of Russian soldiers. They have left lots of mines behind. It is a huge problem. At the same time, Russians continue to lay mines all over. Because of that, civilians suffer every day. The civilian population is less protected from this than us because we have specialised people among us who can work with mines.”
(04:30) SOUNDBITE (UKRAINIAN) TRAINEE FROM UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES
“Did I have experience with mines? Yes, I've encountered mines. Starting from 2014, I saw how our farmers were injured and killed by unexploded mines. Farming machines, which were coming to the non-cleared fields to collect our harvest, got blown up. And then, in 2022, out in front of us, there was a lot of mining. Our company commander was killed because of a mine. Mines are a huge threat for the military and civilian population as well for kids. Those who work in the fields, it’s a huge threat for them.”
(05:13) SOUNDBITE (UKRAINIAN) TRAINEE FROM UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES
“What I think about the training we acquire here? The training that we acquire here is very important and essential. Here we learn from the experience of our partners and we exchange experience with our partners. I think it will help us a lot in the future. It is needed for us, in the first place, and I think for our partners because the fight against the Russian aggressor is very long and difficult for us and I don't think it is going to end any time soon.”
(05:53) SOUNDBITE (UKRAINIAN) TRAINEE FROM UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES
“Mines are unfair. When you're a warrior, you need to fight against a warrior face-to-face. Warriors fight against warriors. But when you set up a mine in a sneaky and unfair way, it is a crime because the civilian population suffers from it, kids suffer from it. Therefore I would ask you to consider it to be a crime always and everywhere.”
(06:21) SOUNDBITE (UKRAINIAN) TRAINEE FROM UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES
“The message I would like to convey is that Russia is the most severe enemy of the 21st century that doesn't follow any humanitarian laws. They use weapons that are prohibited by the Geneva Convention. They don’t have rules of war. Therefore, help Ukraine and we will be very grateful to you because we are standing on the border between Europe, America and Russia.”
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