Despite the truce, both sides in the conflict in the Ukraine are still gearing up, at times covertly, for a prolonged battle. On the Ukraine military side, thousands are being trained in secret for guerilla-style fighting in the east.

CCTV’s Stephanie Freid filed this report from Central Ukraine.

Ukraine’s secret weapon in the fight against pro-Russia rebels are special forces being trained in commando warfare like diversion tactics, sabotage, explosives proficiency and intel gathering.

They are learning to snipe, maneuver and shoot anti-tank BMP’s and work in teams.

Another element of the training is honing RPG and AK-74 accuracy skills.

The training is a joint Ukraine defense ministry and private sector initiative started last Spring by a group of highly influential Ukrainians. Among them energy and defense industry leaders, former special ops and intelligence personnel, even past KGB agents turned Ukraine nationalists.

“We are helping Commanders prepare young soldiers. We’re here to remind them what it was like and what it will be like if we slip back to Soviet Times,” said Training Commander Rafael.

Training is conducted at four remote bases in Ukraine.

Some, say their instructors are living incognito within Eastern Ukraine civilian populations providing valuable information to Ukraine’s intelligence apparatus.

Five thousand men are currently training on the different bases with some of these men are deploying to the country’s East within a week.

The initiators say they’ll put at least fifteen thousand through training aiming to beat down the opposition and take control of rebel held positions.