The Ukrainian Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, announced that training programs for police officers have been approved by the National Police leadership, with the first group of approximately 200 individuals set to begin training at a designated facility in May.
Klymenko indicated that the selection process for additional instructors from special units of the National Police, military divisions, and combat brigades is already underway.
“Our primary focus will be on the psychological readiness of police officers to operate under current conditions. Given the prevalence of weapons and ammunition, officers must always be prepared to respond in extreme situations,” Klymenko stated.
The Minister clarified that there are combat units within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, comprising 8,800 personnel who have completed basic military training and are currently deployed at the front lines. For the rest of the police force, the emphasis will be on assignments to frontline regions where they will undergo practical training.
This decision to revise response protocols and training programs for law enforcement was made following a shooting incident in Kyiv’s Holosiivskyi district on April 18, which resulted in the deaths of seven individuals. Two officers from the Kyiv patrol police have been charged due to their actions during the terrorist attack, as footage circulated on social media showing them fleeing the scene. They face allegations of professional negligence with severe consequences. The head of the Patrol Police Department of Ukraine, Yevhen Zhukov, resigned in light of the police’s conduct during the incident.
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry has initiated a new training program for police officers, focusing on psychological readiness and operational preparedness in response to recent security incidents. This comes after a tragic shooting in Kyiv that raised concerns about law enforcement conduct.