Britain is extending its training programme for Ukrainian government troops in the face of a “more belligerent Russia”, the Government has announced.

Sir Michael Fallon said the initiative would continue for at least another year as the conflict in eastern Ukraine shows no sign of ending.

“Britain is stepping up in Europe and around the world,” the Defence Secretary said.

Boris Johnson flies in to address Ukraine crisis but is left sidelined

“Extending British training of Ukrainian Armed Forces sends a clear message that we support Ukraine and remain firmly committed to its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, in the face of a more belligerent Russia.”

Sir Michael said thousands of service personnel would be trained by British troops, who have been spread across around 14 sites across Ukraine since 2015

Around 100 training team members are active in the country at any one time, running 30 courses for infantry, medical and logistics corps, as well as on IED clearance.

British forces have already trained more than 5,000 Ukrainian troops, the Ministry of Defence said, saying they would remain until early 2018 at least.

The UK coordinates with four other nations in the “Quint” group, including the US, Canada, Lithuania and Poland.

The Government has also loaned a senior adviser to the Ukrainian government’s defence ministry and sent more than £1m of non-lethal equipment, including first aid kits and cold weather clothing.

Its latest deployment comes amid heightened tensions with Russia over Britain’s opposition to Vladimir Putin’s support for Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war.

Diplomatic relations have worsened over the regime’s advance on Aleppo, with Theresa May saying civilians’ lives were in “President Putin’s hands”.

In pictures: Ukraine crisis Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Ukraine crisis In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis People shout slogans during a pro Russian rally at a central square in Donetsk. Pro Russian activists continued to gather on Saturday in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, as Russia was reported to be reinforcing its military presence in Crimea. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis In the same pro Russian rally, demonstrators show their support. Ukraine's ambassador to Russia and a deputy Russian foreign minister held a "cordial" meeting on Saturday, Moscow said, without giving details of any discussion of Russian-occupied Crimea. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis Crimean ethnic tatars stand on the roadside as Russian troops move towards to Simferopol in the settlement of Kok-Asan, some 70 kilometres from Simferopol in Crimea. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis Russian troops stand on a roadside in the settlement of Opytnoye, some 70 kilometres from Simferopol. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis Armed members of the first unit of a pro-Russian armed force, dubbed the "military forces of the autonomous republic of Crimea" march before the swearing-in ceremony in Simferopol, Ukraine. Some 30 men armed with automatic weapons and another 20 or so unarmed, were sworn in at a park in front of an eternal flame to those killed in World War II. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis A group of Cossacks march past a statue of Soviet revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin in Simferopol as tensions in the area continue to rise. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis An armed member of the first unit of a pro-Russian armed force, dubbed the "military forces of the autonomous republic of Crimea" signs the oath during the swearing-in ceremony in Simferopol, In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis Ukrainian soldiers load their armed personnel carriers (APCs) into boxcars in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. Pro-Kremlin militia fired warning shots as unarmed foreign observers tried to enter Crimea on the 8th. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis An abandoned naval ship sunk by the Russian navy to block the entrance is seen in the Crimean port of Yevpatorya on March 8th. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis Ukrainian sailors stand guard on top of the Ukrainian navy ship at the Crimean port of Yevpatorya. In pictures: Ukraine crisis Ukraine crisis Crimea's pro-Moscow leader Sergei Aksyonov speaks to the media in Simferopol on the 8th March. He has defended a decision to hold a referendum on whether the region should join Russia, saying on Saturday that "no one" could cancel the voting.

The Kremlin has hit back by denying all allegations of war crimes and claiming civilians were being held hostage by “terrorists”.

EU leaders also voted this week to extend economic sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis after attempts at implementing a peace deal agreed in Minsk failed.

Successive rounds of EU and US sanctions have been imposed on Russia over the conflict and its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in March 2014, prompting Russia to respond with counter-sanctions.

The Russian government has denied supporting pro-Russian separatist rebels in the face of evidence by Nato and monitors claiming to show its troops and weapons in rebel-controlled areas of the country.

Hacked emails seen by the BBC appear to show Vladislav Surkov, one of Vladimir Putin’s closest aides, detailing budgets for pro-Russian “republics” in eastern Ukraine, as well as a plan for Moscow to provide fuel for the separatists during shortages.

International investigators also concluded that rebels shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger plane using a missile system supplied from Russia, killing all 298 people on board.

Rising tensions between Russia and Nato have sparked a military build-up on both sides, with Nato launching huge war exercises and making high profile deployments as Russia moves nuclear missiles nearer to European borders.