The Czech Republic plans to train up to 4,000 Ukrainian servicemen over the next year, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said, Reuters reported.

The training will take place in five four-week cycles, with up to 800 servicemen participating in each, and will cost 975 million crowns ($41.60 million), the defense ministry said.

The training program will be launched with the first group of troops this year and will eventually be combined with a planned European Union training program for Ukraine.

Ukraine has expressed interest in training mainly mechanized battalions, as well as medics, engineers and chemical troops, Chernokhova said.

The Czech Republic will also send 55 servicemen as instructors or members of the command structures of the planned EU training mission to other EU member states.

Both parts of the plan require parliamentary approval.