Ukrainian Police to Undergo Combat Drills and Front-Line Training
Translated from Hungarian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Ukrainian police officers will receive enhanced training, including combat drills, from experienced National Guard and Border Guard soldiers.
- This initiative follows an inadequate response to a terrorist attack in Kyiv and aims to prevent similar "shameful situations" in the future.
- Training will involve rotational living at training grounds and focus on tactical responses to armed citizens.
Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs is implementing a significant overhaul of its police training programs, a move necessitated by recent security lapses. Minister Ihor Klymenko announced that officers with combat experience from the National Guard and Border Guard will now serve as instructors for patrol police. This decision comes in the wake of a terrorist attack in Kyiv on April 18th, where the response of patrol officers was deemed insufficient. Klymenko stressed the urgency of reinforcing and modernizing training to ensure such "shameful situations" never recur.
The new training regimen will see patrol officers living and training at designated grounds on a rotational basis. This immersive approach aims to prepare them for a wider range of scenarios, including direct combat. The program will initially focus on patrol units but is slated for expansion to district departments. Recognizing the psychological toll of such demanding service, the ministry is also offering demobilized veterans opportunities to continue their service within the police's combat training system, emphasizing the development of psychological resilience alongside tactical skills.
We must ensure that such shameful situations never happen again.
Klymenko highlighted that response protocols and training programs are under review to better equip officers for the realities of policing in a country facing ongoing conflict. The emphasis is on preparing officers for encounters with citizens who may be armed, including those with access to explosives. "A police officer should not be afraid of a flashbang grenade exploding or a bullet whizzing past him," Klymenko stated, underscoring the high-risk nature of their duties and the expectation that they will risk their lives for others. This proactive stance reflects Ukraine's determination to bolster its internal security forces amidst persistent external threats.
A police officer should not be afraid of a flashbang grenade exploding or a bullet whizzing past him.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Magyar Nemzet in Hungarian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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