Ukrainian military chaplains receive training from British Army

Ukrainian military chaplains have completed training with the British Army before heading back to the war-ravaged country to give frontline troops a “spiritual umbrella”.

The two-week programme run by the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department (RAChD) saw an initial group of 10 Ukrainians train at a camp in southwest England, European Pravda reports.

The participants learned how to deliver pastoral care, spiritual support, and moral guidance to soldiers on the battlefield.

The course, developed by British military chaplains with the support of UK Armed Forces Operation Orbital, was created in response to a request from the Ukrainian Armed Forces and aimed to provide participants with the religious and practical resources needed to support personnel in challenging aspects of operations, from bereavement and casualties to mental health difficulties.

There are now 160 chaplains in the growing multi-faith chaplaincy service of the Ukrainian military, which was formally established in 2021. There is an ambition to increase their ranks to 738 chaplains to provide spiritual and pastoral support in units, hospitals, and training centres.

To date, the UK and its allies have trained more than 15,000 members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in areas such as basic front-line warfare and more specialised training. The five-week training programme trains recruits in weapons handling, battlefield first aid, field equipment, patrol tactics, and the law of armed conflict, enabling them to effectively defend their country on the front line.