On January 18, the first group of Australian soldiers to participate in Operation Kudu and train Ukrainian recruits in the United Kingdom said their goodbyes and headed home.
At the Robertson Barracks in Darwin, family and friends gathered alongside the Minister for Defence Personnel, Matt Keogh, and the Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, to bid farewell to the unit of approximately 70 men.
The Australian government made the announcement in 2022 that the Australian Defense Force (ADF) would participate in an international mission in the United Kingdom to train new members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF).
No ADF personnel will enter Ukraine.
To produce new capabilities inside the United Kingdom Air Force (UAF), soldiers from Operation Kudu will collaborate with partners from New Zealand, the Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, and Canada, as well as other contributing nations in the UK.
Since the Russian invasion in February of the previous year, Ukrainian soldiers have displayed bravery in defending their nation’s sovereignty. The Australian Defense Force’s support will build on this by providing recruits with training in infantry tactics in urban and forested environments in the United Kingdom.
As the Darwin-based contingent prepared to leave, Commander of the 1st Brigade Brigadier Nick Foxall joined Mr. Keogh and Lieutenant General Stuart in bidding them farewell.
According to Brigadier Foxall, the commander of the 1st Brigade, the soldiers in this unit are “some of the greatest fighting men and women in the Australian Army.”
When it comes to providing assistance for this important task, “I can’t think of a greater bunch to represent our brigade, the Army, and all of Australia.”
“The task that we have been given is of the utmost significance. “It is one that matters, and we have got a terrific feeling of purpose amongst the people here,” Lieutenant General Stuart remarked.
“It’s incredibly essential because they’re going to be helping Ukrainians who are fighting for their families, for their way of life, and for their country,” you said. “It’s really important.”
