Met soldiers on their way to the front: "Is heavy"

Kungligt

Royally

Crown Princess Victoria  

 

Victoria and Daniel met Ukrainian soldiers in London 

 

Jenny Alexandersson  

 

Published 20.11  

 

LONDON. It was with great seriousness that Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel met Ukrainian soldiers in London today.  

 

They are trained by Swedish instructors and in five weeks will become functioning soldiers at the front.  

Victoria and Daniel were noticeably taken after the meeting - but the conversations were characterized by both courage and hope. 

 

It thunders so that the body vibrates inside.  

 

First a dull thump and then clattering rifle shots.  

 

Some soldiers crawl under barbed wire where pig entrails hang down over the muddy uniformed people. A thick smoke billows over the meadows. People are screaming.  

 

It's not real.  

 

But the exercise is still extremely real. 

 

Prince Daniel and Crown Princess Victoria visited Operation Interflex east of London. There, Ukrainian civilians are quickly trained for five weeks to become functioning soldiers. Photo: Lotte Fernvall  

 

The soldiers learn to fight, handle weapons, first aid and tactics, among other things. But also what is right and wrong to do when you are in a war situation. Photo: Lotte Fernvall  

 

For some it means death  

 

In the middle of it all are Crown princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. They follow the soldiers with serious faces and ear muffs over their ears. Next to them are Defense Minister Pål Janson and his British ministerial colleague Grant Shapps.  

 

We are east of London, on a training ground belonging to Operation Interflex where Ukrainian civilians are rapidly trained for five weeks to become functional soldiers in the war. The instructors are Swedish, most from the Home Guard. 

 

It is the largest military training program of its kind on British soil since the Second World War.  

 

The soldiers gathered around the crown princess couple have Ukrainian, Swedish or British flags on their upper arms.  

 

Our exact whereabouts are top secret and no faces of Ukrainians or instructors may be shown in pictures or mentioned by name. 

 

Everyone knows what applies.  

 

Those trained here will be sent to the front when they return home.  

 

For some it will mean death. 

 

Crown Princess Victoria met Ukrainian soldiers outside London. Photo: Lotte Fernvall  

 

"Feeling aggressive and ready"  

 

Many of the Ukrainians have never held a weapon before.  

 

Neither Boris, 34, nor Dimitro, 39, have ever been in combat. 

 

They talk to Aftonbladet wearing balaclavas to hide their faces. 

  

- I was a driver at home, says Dimitro. 

 

Boris was a construction worker.  

 

- Right now I feel aggressive and ready to go home and fight with the enemy because they have done so many bad things to our country, says Dimitrov and tells that his house was bombed to the ground.  

 

Boris still has his home. 

 

- We know why we are here and we know that we have to learn a lot to be able to fight the enemy. 

 

They say time and time again that they are grateful for the Swedish instructors and that they are gaining knowledge to be able to fight. 

 

But when I ask about the families back home, it stops.  

 

Words are not enough there.  

 

Boris and Dimitrov had never held a gun before coming to London to train. Soon they return to Ukraine to fight against Russia. Photo: Lotte Fernvall 

 

Received notification of death  

 

One of the instructors says that he notices that the students feel that they will soon be going home. 

 

- They are very aware of what they are returning to, he says. 

 

A few weeks ago, the former group returned to Ukraine. Quite soon after that, the instructor received word of a death. 

 

- It was difficult, he says.  

 

The Swedish royals were noticeably taken by the meeting with the soldiers. Photo: Lotte Fernvall  

 

The education still makes a big difference. Among other things, the Ukrainians learn how to fight, handle weapons, first aid and tactics. But also what is right and wrong in war.  

 

The Crown Princess looks very serious when she receives information about the situation. 

 

After a couple of hours, Victoria and Daniel, Defense Minister Pål Janson and their team gather at a nearby pub. 

 

Victoria and Daniel are visibly taken. 

 

- It is heavy, says Prince Daniel.  

FACTS

Operation Interflex

• Operation Interflex is the operational code name for the British-led multinational military operation to train and support Ukraine's armed forces.
• It is a follow-up to Operation Orbital (2015–2022) and began in July 2022.
• Operation Interflex takes place within the UK and is supported by contingents from international partners..
• Sweden has contributed instructors to the training since August 2022.
• In addition to Sweden, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands and New Zealand also contribute to Ope.