Ukrainian military chaplains trained in Britain for the first time

Ten Ukrainian military chaplains have completed a two-week training with their British counterparts as part of the first such course.

According to Yevropeiska Pravda, this is stated in a statement by the British government.

Over the past two weeks, ten chaplains have been trained at the Department of Chaplains of the Royal British Army to learn more about providing pastoral care, spiritual support, and moral guidance during military operations, as well as during the post-war reconstruction period that follows.

"They will now travel to the front lines of Ukraine's conflict with Russia, where their task will be to inspire hope and restore spirit among the troops fighting to regain Ukraine's sovereign territory," the statement said.

The course, developed by British military chaplains with the support of the UK Armed Forces as part of 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 the most difficult aspects of operations, from bereavement and loss to mental health difficulties.

Currently, 160 chaplains work in the growing multi-faith chaplaincy service of the Ukrainian military, which was officially established in 2021. There is an aspiration to increase their ranks to 738 chaplains to provide spiritual and pastoral support in units, hospitals, and training centers.

The Rev. Robin Richardson, Chaplain in the Royal Army Chaplaincy Department, was responsible for developing the program.

"Wherever people are, they need the spiritual support, moral guidance, and pastoral care that chaplains provide, whether they are in units, hospitals or

A significant part of the program was devoted to chaplaincy in an operational context: participants supported military personnel currently undergoing combat training in Wiltshire as part of the British-led training of Ukrainian recruits. The specially designed program highlights the wide range of training that the UK provides to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including basic infantry training, medical training, and training on Challenger 2 tanks.

Author - Olena Madiak, 05/06/2023