It was announced by Anita Anand, the Minister of National Defence on Aug 4 in a news release that in the face of Russia’s ongoing unprovoked, unjustifiable, and illegal Ukraine invasion, Canada has authorized the deployment of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel to train new recruits from the Armed Forces of Ukraine, to increase the size of their ground forces.
The CAF, under Operation UNIFIER — Canada’s military training and capacity-building mission in Ukraine, aims to deploy up to 225 personnel to the United Kingdom (U.K.), the majority of whom will work as trainers, supported by a command and control element, for an initial deployment of approximately four months.
The first of up to three training cohorts would consist of approximately 90 soldiers and will largely be drawn from 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based out of Edmonton, Alberta.
They are scheduled to depart on 12 August and will begin leading courses in the weeks following.
Taking place at a military base located in South East England, the first Canadian-led courses will teach a flexible curriculum with a focus on individual skills for frontline combat, including handling of weapons, battlefield first aid, fieldcraft, patrol tactics, and the Law of Armed Conflict.
Launched in 2015 at the request of the Ukrainian government, Operation UNIFIER was expanded early this year and extended until March 2025.
Following the February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aspects of the mission were temporarily paused with a commitment to resume training when and where conditions permitted.
$626 million in military assistance to Ukraine has been delivered by Canada since February 2022 including M777 howitzer artillery guns with replacement barrels and compatible ammunition, specialized drone cameras and Armoured Combat Support Vehicles, and associated training.
“Despite the heinous Russian invasion of Ukraine, Operation UNIFIER has continued…Canada that has trained well over 33,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine…on Canadian donated artillery and munitions in third nations, which continues. By working with the United Kingdom…and we will continue to help empower them with the skills that they need to defend their nation’s freedom and independence,” Anita Anand has said in a news release.
General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff reported saying that Canada being known for the quality of training it provides to other nations builds CAFs’ already close relationship with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Canada is proud to work alongside like-minded nations such as the United Kingdom to further support their training needs.
#AnitaAnand; #CAF; #trainUkrainiansoldiers. #UnitedKingdom
