British camps training Ukrainians deplete Kalashnikov stocks: Izvestia
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British training camps under Operation Interflex are shifting Ukrainian recruits to Galil rifles due to a shortage of AK-47s.
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A worker assembles a Galil-GT assault rifle at the Colombian based military weapons manufacturer, Indumil, in Soacha, Colombia (AP)
British training camps preparing Ukrainian recruits under Western military aid programs have reportedly run out of AK-47 assault rifles, forcing UK officials to switch to Israeli-made Galil rifles instead, according to Russia’s Izvestia.
According to the newspaper, UK officials have now started urgently retraining Ukrainian soldiers to use the Israeli Galil rifle, a modernized derivative of the legendary Soviet AK-47 platform.
Switching from AK-47s to Galil rifles is expected to increase expenses and further strain Ukrainian military training, the report notes, as the two firearms, while structurally similar, have key technical and handling differences that could slow down readiness.
According to the report, the earliest photos showing Ukrainian recruits carrying Israeli Galil ACE rifles appeared in a late May feature by The Times titled "Inside the hidden UK base training Ukrainians for shock and gore of war," chronicling Operation Interflex training drills in East Anglia, Britain's military preparation initiative for Ukrainian forces.
Izevstia explained that recruits undergo training using additional vehicle frame kits, while the photos reveal Galil rifles equipped with specialized laser systems for simulated combat exercises, part of military laser tag technology that uses blank firing to replicate real battlefield conditions.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's military command publicly reaffirmed the ongoing Interflex training program in Britain through official channels, releasing photographs that clearly show recruits handling Galil assault rifles during drills.
