After local residents complained about the noise of explosions and gunshots, the British army has cut the training of Ukrainian troops at one military base by a third, The Times reported on Sept. 11.
Lydd army camp in Kent is being used to train Ukrainian soldiers, but the base agreed to reduce the amount of training in order to maintain relations with people living in the neighborhood.
The base in southern England is home to a firing range that has been in use for 150 years.
“We have robust monitoring procedures to ensure noise remains below agreed limits for the local community, though the amount the sound carries can be affected by wind direction and climate conditions,” a spokesperson for the U.K. Defense Ministry said.
While some residents told the newspaper the exercises were "noisy" and caused homes to vibrate, another said it was to be expected "if you buy a house or move next to an army camp."
The U.K. has trained over 20,000 Ukrainian troops since the start of the full-scale invasion, according to the British Defense Ministry.
At the start of 2023, the U.K. said it would train 20,000 more Ukrainian troops, making it "one of the largest training programs in the world," according to the Defense Ministry.
Martin Fornusek
