Synopsis
At the Libavá training area in Czechia, Ukrainian soldiers have been undergoing an intensive four-week training course in mechanised infantry operations, overseen by instructors from the Czech Army’s 72nd Mechanised Battalion. Czechia has joined several other NATO Allies in training soldiers from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which are defending their country against Russia’s unprovoked invasion in February 2022.
The course is designed to prepare the Ukrainian soldiers for active duty upon their return to Ukraine, as their country continues to uphold its right to self-defence enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
Footage includes shots of Ukrainian soldiers firing machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and treating simulated battlefield casualties while being overseen by Czech Army instructors. It also includes interviews with a Czech Army instructor and Michal Voltr, Commander of the Czech Army’s 72nd Mechanised Battalion.
Transcript
---SHOTLIST—
(00:00) CLOSE SHOT – UKRAINIAN SOLDIER PREPARING TO FIRE GENERAL-PURPOSE MACHINE GUN (GPMG)
(00:08) MEDIUM SHOT - UKRAINIAN SOLDIER FIRING GPMG
(00:20) MEDIUM SHOT - UKRAINIAN SOLDIER FIRING MACHINE GUN OVERSEEN BY CZECH ARMY INSTRUCTOR
(00:24) CLOSE UP - CZECH ARMY INSTRUCTOR GIVING ORDERS
(00:27) MEDIUM SHOT - CZECH ARMY INSTRUCTOR CHECKING MACHINE GUN
(00:31) VARIOUS SHOTS - UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS FIRING ROCKET-PROPELLED GRENADE LAUNCHERS
(00:51) VARIOUS SHOTS - UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS PERFORMING DISMOUNTED VEHICLE DRILLS
(01:02) VARIOUS SHOTS - UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS TAKING PART IN TREATMENT OF SIMULATED BATTLEFIELD CASUALTIES
(01:18) GO PRO SHOT - UKRAINIAN SOLDIER CHECKS A SIMULATED CASUALTY
(01:38) VARIOUS SHOTS - UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS TAKING PART IN TREATMENT OF SIMULATED BATTLEFIELD CASUALTIES
(01:44) SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH: Czech Army Master Sergeant, instructor
‘We are training the people from Ukraine. We want them to learn some basic skills in emergency health care, how to save a life on the battlefield. And we work with the NATO standards, TCC. And we want them to learn our concepts, our algorithms so they can use it in their conditions. We have some sound effects and we have some simulation casualties, so it's pretty realistic. But you can’t see the blood. It's just, you know, a simulation.’
(02:14) SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH: Czech Army Lieutenant Colonel Michal Voltr, Commander, 72nd Mechanised Battalion
‘And we are just here to help the Ukrainians show them how to drive infantry fighting vehicles, how to operate the crew weapons, how to shoot mortars.
(02:24) SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH: Czech Army Lieutenant Colonel Michal Voltr, Commander, 72nd Mechanised Battalion
The important thing is that we still got and possess skills that we are able to operate a Russian-type style vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, and they are, I would argue, most common on the battlefield in Ukraine. Therefore, the Czech Republic is unique, I would say.
(02:46) SOUNDBITE IN ENGLISH: Czech Army Lieutenant Colonel Michal Voltr, Commander, 72nd Mechanised Battalion
I'm a soldier and they are our brothers in need. So we try to do as much as possible to facilitate, and to help them.’
## END ##
