Ukrainian armed forces will take part in the UK’s military procession marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Ukrainian personnel will join around 1,000 UK service personnel from the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army and the Royal Air Force in London on Monday.

This joining together will symbolise the global support for Ukraine’s “continued fight for freedom against Russia’s unprovoked, illegal invasion”, the MoD said.

Victory in Europe Day, known as VE Day, is celebrated on May 8 each year to mark the day the Allies formally accepted Germany’s surrender in 1945.

The representatives of the Ukrainian armed forces taking part in the procession will comprise those deployed to the UK on Operation Interflex – the UK armed forces’ training programme for Ukrainian recruits, delivered with 12 partner nations.

The UK and its allies have trained more than 54,000 Ukrainians in frontline combat skills since the programme was established in the summer of 2022, following Russia’s full-scale invasion.

The operation has been extended to at least the end of the year, with an enhanced training programme to ensure the Ukrainian forces are equipped with vital battlefield skills.