Czech Defence Minister said the Czech government plans to provide training to as many as 4,000 Ukrainian troops over the next year

Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova announced on Wednesday that the Czech government plans to provide training to as many as 4,000 Ukrainian troops over the next year.

The training would take place in five four-week cycles, with up to 800 troops participating in each, and would cost 975 million crowns ($41.60 million), according to the Defence Ministry.

Since Russia’s attack in February this year, NATO member Czech Republic has strongly backed Ukraine and has sent it light and heavy weapons and ammunition. The training programme would begin this year with the first batch of troops and would eventually be incorporated into a planned European Union training scheme for Ukraine.