--- title: Ukraine Troops to Get More American Training description: The United States will expand its current training programs for troops in Ukraine to include army and special operations military forces canonical: https://time.com/3971959/ukraine-russia-us-training/ author: Julia Zorthian article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-24T21:21:53.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:25.451Z article:section: Politics og:title: U.S. to Train More Ukrainian Troops og:description: Amid ongoing tension between Ukraine and Russia og:url: https://time.com/3971959/ukraine-russia-us-training/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbc97dd2ef04d148b/69885c6f196cf499c1037426/us-trains-ukrainian-soldiers.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Ukraine us soldiers training og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: U.S. to Train More Ukrainian Troops twitter:description: Amid ongoing tension between Ukraine and Russia twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbc97dd2ef04d148b/69885c6f196cf499c1037426/us-trains-ukrainian-soldiers.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # U.S. to Train More Ukrainian Troops ## Video: Watch: TIME's Simon Shuster And Getty's Brendan Hoffman on The MH17 Aftermath [Watch (HLS stream): Watch: TIME's Simon Shuster And Getty's Brendan Hoffman on The MH17 Aftermath](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/TUxxp7Jz.m3u8) (5:27)  _Published 2014-07-24. The author of this week's TIME cover story and an acclaimed Getty photographer paint a rarely seen image – through words and photographs – of the aftermath of the Malaysia Airlines crash in Ukraine_  by [Julia Zorthian](https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Jul 24, 2015 9:21 PM UTC  A US serviceman teaches Ukrainian soldiers how to give emergency medical aid during the Rapid Trident/Saber Guardian 2015 military exercises at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre base outside Lviv, Ukraine on July 24, 2015. A US serviceman teaches Ukrainian soldiers how to give emergency medical aid during the Rapid Trident/Saber Guardian 2015 military exercises at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre base outside Lviv, Ukraine on July 24, 2015.Pavlo Palamarchuk—AP  by [Julia Zorthian](https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Jul 24, 2015 9:21 PM UTC The United States will expand its current training programs for troops in Ukraine to include army and special operations military forces, the State Department [said Friday](http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/24/us-ukraine-crisis-usa-idUSKCN0PY28A20150724?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm%5Fsource=twitter). The training will likely focus on lessons in tactics and combat medicine, Reuters reports. The expanded program will not include any lethal weapons or aide, a State Department spokesman told reporters. The U.S. began providing security assistance to Ukraine in 2014, with troops training Interior Ministry national guard units to strengthen the country’s security in the face of threats from Russia-backed rebels. Including this expanded training program, the U.S. will have spent over $244 million on supporting Ukraine since last year. 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