21 February 2023 , 00:01
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A huge operation to rebuild Ukraine's battered railway network will be critical in the battle against Vladimir Putin's invaders, a UK minister has said.
The UK Government is ploughing £10 million of material and equipment to repair Ukraine's infrastructure after heavy Russian bombing.
It is hoped the aid package, which includes rapid-build modular steel bridges and tunnel lining repair equipment, will give Ukraine an edge.
A number of Ukrainian engineers were invited to England in January to train on how to assemble the pre-engineered bridges before being flown home to train their own teams.
The first aid shipment supplied by Network Rail, British engineering firm Mabey Bridge Limited and the Department for Transport, has already been delivered to Ukraine via Poland.
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Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: "This is a really important project where Mabey Bridge and Network Rail are working together to support the Ukrainian railway system which has come under attack from Putin's illegal war in Ukraine.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said supporting rail networks is essential (PA)"What we're doing here is supplying both equipment and supplies, but also we're training Ukrainian railway personnel who are then going to go back to Ukraine and train their teams of engineers on how to use this equipment to get their railway back up and running when it gets attacked by Putin's troops.
"I've been able to speak to some of those Ukrainian personnel and it's really clear the importance of this and that this is going to make a difference in helping to get their railway working again."
Mr Harper met with Ukrainian ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko at the Mabey Bridge HQ in Lydney, Gloucestershire.
Mr Harper said the effort would also help with global supply chains of grain and keep food prices across the world down.
Last year the UK provided £2.3billion in military aid to Ukraine - the largest package of support of any European nation and second only to the United States.
The government has also pledged £1.5billion in economic and humanitarian support.
A Ukrainian engineer, who must remain anonymous for his own safety, said: "There's no doubt that the support we're getting from our British colleagues will assist us in rebuilding the railway and connecting our country.
"I would like to say thank you to both the British government and the ordinary British people who are supporting our country and helping it. Their support for our country is invaluable.
"But it is never too much help during war time so we are hoping that we will continue to get this support even more."
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Asked if he feared returning to Ukraine, the man said: "No. It is my motherland and we have to protect it and rebuild it.
"It is really dangerous now, but this is work that we have to do. This is our job and we are doing it because no one else apart from us can."