Inside the hidden UK base training Ukrainians for shock and gore of war
Animal organs from the local slaughterhouse are sometimes hung from the fences. Amputees play the role of the injured, screaming for their mothers as the cacophony of gunfire blasts from speakers and drones circle the skies.
British military trainers on Operation Interflex, the mission to train Ukrainian forces, are trying to prepare their comrades for the horrors they might face on the battlefield against Russia.
'We are not running these dry and empty-feeling exercises. We are trying to make it look and sound and maybe even smell like a battlefield,' said Lieutenant Colonel Ben Irwin-Clark, the commanding officer in charge of the bespoke training, on an undisclosed military base in East Anglia.
The soldiers are preparing to be ready for every eventuality in battle
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
Before deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Irwin-Clark, of the Irish Guards, used to take his platoon to watch port-mortem examinations at the mortuary so they could get used to seeing dead bodies.
Many of the Ukrainians at the base will soon be flown back to Poland before travelling to eastern Ukraine.
They wanted a spot on the five-week course in Britain because they believed it would increase their chances of survival. Irwin-Clark has no doubt. 'I think the training they receive here will definitely make them more survivable,' he said.
As well being taught how to survive, the Ukrainians learn about 'lethality' — how to defeat the enemy with less manpower and equipment — and offensive spirit, a sort of battle-winning mindset.
One of those on the section commander course at the base, an experienced soldier and the father of a 13-year-old boy, goes by the call sign Rocky.
He signed up after witnessing the impact of the training on some of his comrades on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Although he has been fighting since the beginning of the full war in February 2022, he believes he has more to learn.
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
British military trainers, working alongside other nations, have already taught him more advanced medical training and a different way of conducting assaults.
Russian forces, meanwhile, shoot dead their injured so they can advance, he said, wearing a scarf to mask his identity. Many of President Putin's troops are given just ten days of training before being pushed to the front as cannon fodder, according to defence intelligence.
A 26-year-old soldier whose call sign is Willow said he will be back in the Donbas region next week. 'Donbas, for ever,' he said. How does he feel about that? 'Absolutely great. I love Ukraine.'
Another Ukrainian, who has the call sign Fox because of this ability to get anywhere, said: 'I've seen everything. There are things I can't speak about. As we always say, the war is the most scary thing.'
For him, training in Britain, away from the sounds of air raid sirens, gives him a chance to concentrate on learning new skills. 'Thanks to Great Britain and all the help and support you provide. We will do our best to move in the direction of victory,' he said.
More than 54,000 Ukrainians have been trained in the UK as part of Operation Interflex, which began nearly three years ago. About 130 flights come in and out of the UK every six months.
What they learn in five weeks is what the British Army typically takes six months to achieve. For them, speed is essential. There are various courses, from basic training which turns ordinary civilians into soldiers, to commander courses for hardened warriors.
On the latest course there is a husband and wife, ready to fight for their nation's survival.
None of the Ukrainians at the base are allowed to be named in case Russia targets them or their families. The location remains a secret because of fears of an attack like the one ofSergei Skripal, the double agent who was poisoned by Russia in Salisbury in March 2018.
There are concerns that some of the British trainers could suffer from 'survivor's guilt' after six months spent training Ukrainians, who head to into war while they remain safe. Such personnel now take a stress management course before they begin the training.
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
As the Ukrainians depart on coaches afterwards, the British soldiers and their international partners line their route out and salute them.
Colonel Andy Boardman, commander of Operation Interflex, said: 'It's sort of our way of saying, 'Good luck, we've given you the best training that we can and we are supporting you.' There's a sense from some of our soldiers that they'd love to be on the coach, going with them to join in.'
Irwin-Clark said the Ukrainians were fighting a war so Britain does not have to.
'I am under no illusion that they are the keepers of the keys of Europe, they're the guardians on the gate,' he said. 'That is one of the underlying reasons why we all feel pretty motivated about what we are doing. To no small degree, I feel like they're fighting for us.'
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE
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