Ottawa Quietly Expands CAF Footprint in Ukraine

By: Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press

The military has quietly expanded its footprint in Ukraine, giving commanders free rein to send their troops anywhere — except where they might run into Russian forces or separatist rebels.

Canada first deployed about 200 troops to Ukraine in the summer of 2015 to help train government forces in their fight against Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country.

But the Canadians were required to stay in the western half of Ukraine, far from the conflict that has continued to rage over the intervening two years, leaving more than 10,000 people dead.

Those restrictions were eased in March when the government extended the mission for another two years, the mission’s commander, Lt.-Col. Mark Lubiniecki, said in an interview Wednesday.

While Canadian troops are still required to stay away from the border with Russia and the fighting in eastern Ukraine, he said, the rest of the country is now fair game.

The change, Lubiniecki added, has given welcome flexibility to the Canadian mission, which has so far trained nearly 4,500 Ukrainian troops, many of whom have since been sent into the conflict zone.

The number of Canadian soldiers in Ukraine remains the same.

Lubiniecki would not reveal how far his troops have to stay from the Russian border, except to say that it is far enough away to keep them safe and prevent anyone from misinterpreting they they are in Ukraine.

“We’re here to provide mentorship and training, we’re not here to be operating on the front line,” he said. “So making sure we maintain that buffer is extremely important for us.”

The training mission is set to expire in 2019.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a report this week on the conflict in eastern Ukraine, asserting that an end to the three-year-old war was nowhere to be seen.

Fighting continues to erupt despite the existence of a ceasefire, while more than 1.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes and another 3 million are struggling to make ends meet.

Canada’s presence in eastern Europe is actually set to expand over the next few months, as about 450 troops arrive in Latvia to lead a NATO force that will serve as a check on Russian aggression.

One of the concerns trumpeted by both Canadian and Latvian officials is that Russia, or at least pro-Russian agitators, will attempt to spread lies and false information about the mission there.

But Lubiniecki said his troops in Ukraine have so far been spared from any such information attacks, saying: “I’m just not seeing it (on the ground) right now.”

That applies to cyberattacks, as well.

Moscow and its separatist allies in eastern Ukraine aren’t the only threats that Kyiv is struggling to address: corruption is also one of several significant problems.

The Ukrainian military and its defence sector have not been spared, as outlined in recent months by various media reports as well as investigations by NGOs such as Transparency International.

Much of the concern has focused on whether Ukrainian government officials have been enriching themselves by skimming defence contracts or diverting equipment donated by countries like Canada.

Transparency International released a report last month saying improvements have been made, but more needs to be done to ensure foreign donations get to the Ukrainian troops who actually need it.

Canada has so far provided about $16-million in non-lethal equipment such as helmets, bulletproof vests and winter clothing to the Ukrainian military, and promised another $7.25-million by 2019.

Lubiniecki said he has not seen any evidence of corruption during his time in the country, and that the Ukrainian soldiers his troops are training are well equipped and motivated.

CAF Working to Iron Out Challenges Ahead of Latvia Deployment

By: Murray Brewster, CBC News 

Some NATO allies are calling it "Noah's Ark."

The description of the Canadian-led battle group being assembled in Latvia this summer is more than just a cheeky reference to the disparate collection of nations that make up the force of 1,500 heavily-armoured troops.

It underlines some of the very real challenges military planners face, including how much intelligence data Canadians can share with their partners on the ground and what restrictions — known as caveats — the other nations will impose on the use of their troops.

The constraints some European NATO members placed on their soldiers during the Afghan war, notably forbidding them from operating in southern provinces where the Taliban were present, were a major source of tension among the allies.

Nations operating alongside Canada in Latvia will also be coming with caveats, some of which have raised eyebrows at alliance headquarters in Brussels, said defence officials, who were only authorized to only speak with the media on background.

They would not be specific about the restrictions, other than to say officials are working through the matter.

The Trudeau government agreed to the open-ended deployment at last summer's NATO summit in Warsaw, where the western military alliance announced it would place four battalion-sized formations in the three Baltic States and eastern Europe to act as deterrent against a resurgent Russia.
Diverse team
Canada will deploy 450 soldiers, including a headquarters team and a company of infantry soldiers driving the army's new (light armoured vehicle) LAV 6 fighting vehicle, a larger more powerful version of the troop carrier used in Afghanistan. They will be joined by: A troop of tanks from Poland; Two companies of mechanized soldiers travelling in armoured vehicles — one each from Spain and Italy; and infantry soldiers from Slovenia, Albania and Latvia.

"We are certainly recognized as taking on a diverse team," said Brig.-Simon Hetherington, commander of the 3rd Canadian Division, which is training the first rotation of Canadians for deployment in a few weeks.

One of the important preoccupations for commanders will be deciding what intelligence can and cannot be shared.

"Nobody is in the Five-Eyes there so we've got to be careful about what we do there in that regard," said Hetherington, referring to the long-standing intelligence-sharing network among Canada, the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

It's not your grandfather's Cold War, Canadian and NATO officials insist

What also makes this deployment different is the cyber threat posed by Russia and the expectation that so-called fake news will be used to drive a wedge between the NATO troops and the Latvian population.

To that end, Hetherington says soldiers are being schooled and reminded to be careful what they post online and where they post it.

"We need to educate our soldiers. What do they say on social media? How do they say it? That's a direct link to the cyber threat," he said.
Cyber vs. 'fake news'

Karlis Eihenbaums, Latvia's ambassador to Canada, says public opinion in his country overwhelmingly supports the NATO deployment.

His country has not faced the same kind of cyberattacks as neighbouring Estonia, but has struggled against disinformation campaigns.

A military unit from Canada marches during a 2014 military parade marking Polish Armed Forces Day, in Warsaw, Poland, where Canadian soldiers were taking part in military exercises. Canada is preparing to lead a multinational battle group in Latvia that will include Polish tanks, as part of NATO's deterrence measures against Russia. (Czarek Sokolowski/AP Photo)

"What is good is our Western allies understand the urgency to do something about this," he said.

There are other more pedantic details for the Canadian-led force to consider.

"The language issue: That's always a challenge, particularly at the junior level," Hetherington told CBC News in an interview. "Our Polish isn't that good and I doubt the young (non-commissioned officer) from Poland's English is going to be that great."

Mechanics is another issue: "How do we communicate? We've all got different radio sets, different comms systems, digital and analogue. We have to work through that."
Tripwire battalions

A study by the Rand Corporation, a U.S.-based think-tank, estimated it would take less than 60 hours for Russian troops to overrun Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in the event of a full-blown crisis.

The NATO battalions have been loosely described as a "tripwire" to guard against any interference similar to what to has unfolded in Ukraine over the last three years.

Troops from the U.S. Army's 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team parachute from a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III during a NATO-led exercise in May 2014 that including parachuting, airborne operations and infantry skills. (Kacper Pempel/Reuters)

The sobering scenarios are on the minds of soldiers, particularly as tensions with Moscow remain high in the aftermath of allegations of tampering in the U.S. election.

"We need to be prepared for the worst case," said Hetherington.

"This is about showing the solidarity of our alliance. The willingness of Canada to be prepared to defend one of NATO's allies."

In theory, the battle groups would be expected to hold out until NATO could muster its high-readiness rapid reaction force — something that could take days.

Privately, Latvian officials don't believe help would arrive in time, an assessment Hetherington, as a professional military officer, shares.

"It would be over very quickly," he said.

"Are we a tripwire? I've never liked that term. We are a show of assurance. We are a show of deterrence. We hope that everything, like every other war that's happened out there; that diplomacy and other means of national power are going to be the way we avoid the worst case scenario."

PM won't say if Canada to keep sending troops to Ukraine

By: Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press

KYIV, Ukraine -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrapped up his latest overseas travels Tuesday with a visit to western Ukraine, where he will greet the Canadian Forces soldiers who have been training their Ukrainian counterparts since last summer.

Whether those troops will still be there next summer, however, was both an open question and a central issue Monday as Trudeau met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

The previous Conservative government deployed 200 Canadian military trainers to a base near the Ukrainian city of Lviv last year in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

The Canadians, alongside British and American troops, have been teaching the basics of soldiering, such as how to use their weapons and move as a unit, as well as more advanced skills such bomb disposal and medical training.

"We are giving significant support to the Ukrainian military to be able to be more effective in defending and reclaiming Ukrainian territory," Trudeau told a news conference where the two countries announced a new Canada-Ukraine free trade deal.

"We are very happy to be involved in and to be supporting the people of Ukraine."

Trudeau wouldn't say, however, whether the Liberal government -- fresh from committing hundreds of troops to form the core of a NATO battalion in Latvia -- will extend the training mission past its current expiry date in March.

Poroshenko said a professional military is essential for protecting his country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "I have asked the prime minister to prolong the mandate of the mission," he said through an interpreter.

Asked to respond, Trudeau said Canada would co-ordinate with its international partners and allies on how best to help Ukraine in the future.

"We are right now focused on the training mission that is going so well for both Canadians and especially for the Ukrainian military," he said. "As the situation evolves, we will continue to monitor and look at the best way we can continue to support and help Ukraine."

Trudeau did promise more observers for a mission by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe monitoring ceasefire violations between Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatist forces in the country's east. Canada will increase its complement to the 700-strong OSCE mission from 25 to 50.

Canada will also send more police officers to help train the Ukrainian police.

Russia loomed large as Trudeau met with Poroshenko and other Ukrainian officials throughout the day. Some European allies are impatient that Ukraine is not doing enough to implement its commitments in the Minsk peace deal with the rebels and Russia, but Trudeau pointed the finger at Moscow.

"Russia has not been a positive partner," he said. "They have not been moving responsibly or appropriately on things like ceasefires or international observers."

For his part, Poroshenko said Ukraine has fulfilled 95 per cent of its political obligations and all of its security requirements under the agreement. He went on to accuse Russian "troops and mercenaries" of having launched an attack against Ukrainian positions earlier in the day.

Solidarity was a central theme to Trudeau's visit to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian leaders and civil society groups and paid homage to Ukrainians killed in mass atrocities by the Nazis and Soviets in the 20th century, and more recently in the country's 2014 revolution.

A key moment came when Trudeau and Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman visited a memorial to those killed in the Euromaidan, an uprising that ousted the pro-Russian president in the name of democracy. Surrounded by pictures of the dead, the two placed rose bouquets before a wooden cross bearing the image of Jesus before a moment of silence.

A short time later, in a meeting with Ukrainian parliamentarians, Trudeau talked about the importance of fighting for democracy.

"Many of us in the West have gone a long time without having to fight for democracy," he said. "Ukrainians reminded us how important democracy is, and how we can't take it for granted."

In a meeting with Groysman and his cabinet, Trudeau praised the Ukrainian government's progress towards democracy. In meetings with Ukrainian leaders and civil society representatives, however, he also emphasized the importance of championing the hopes and aspirations of average Ukrainians wanting a better future.

"Reforms never happen as quickly as everyone would like," Trudeau told the civil society roundtable session.

"But your job is not to make everything happen overnight, as you well know. Your job is to make sure that everything keeps moving forward as responsibly and as quickly as you can."

Trudeau and his oldest son Xavier also paid their respects to Ukrainians killed in past atrocities. They laid a bouquet of flowers at a memorial to tens of thousands of Ukrainians, many of them Jews, killed by the Nazis in Kyiv during he Second World War.

New CAF Commander for OP REASSURANCE

DND Press Release - February 19, 2016

Department of National Defence / Canadian Joint Operations Command

OTTAWA – The new commander of the Operation REASSURANCE Land Task Force, Major Éric Beauchamp, assumed command from Major Simon Côté today in Warsaw, Poland. Hosted by Canada’s Ambassador to Poland, Stephen de Boer, the ceremony at the Canadian embassy was presided over by Colonel Pascal Demers, Canadian Defence Attaché.

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) presence in the region demonstrates Canada’s commitment to work with NATO allies and react rapidly to international crises as part of Allied assurance measures to promote security in Central and Eastern Europe.

Canadian Armed Forces simulated casualties are loaded onto a UH-60 Blackhawk medical evacuation helicopter during Exercise ALLIED SPIRIT IV at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center Training area in Hohenfels, Germany on January 30, 2016 during Operation REASSURANCE. Photo: CAF Combat Camera

 

5 CMBG deploys to Ukraine on Operation UNIFIER

DND Press Release:

January 10, 2016 - Ottawa

Starting January 10 and throughout the rest of the month, the first group of approximately 200 Canadian Army (CA) soldiers from 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (5 CMBG), based in Valcartier, Quebec, will be deploying to Ukraine for Operation (Op) UNIFIER. They will be relieving their counterparts from 2 CMBG, based in Petawawa, Ontario, who will be returning home throughout January, having completed military training activities in support of Canada’s response to requests for assistance from the Government of Ukraine.

Quick Facts

• Op UNIFIER is Canada’s military training mission to Ukraine. All training activities with the Ukrainian Armed Forces are coordinated with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and focused on increasing the capacity of Ukraine in order to assist in maintaining its territorial integrity and sovereignty. 
• This is not a combat mission, but rather a capacity building mission taking place jointly with the US military and other partners. Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel are located in western Ukraine, approximately 1300 km from areas where Russian-backed insurgents are active.
• CA soldiers are delivering vital training that will help to support Ukrainian Armed Forces in its efforts to maintain sovereignty, security, and stability in Ukraine. Roughly 200 Canadian trainers are teaching basic soldier skills, such as how to shoot, move and communicate on the battlefield, while also teaching how to treat wounded comrades and defeat threats such as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Military Police members are working to build the capability of the Ukraine Military Police in their enforcement and investigation techniques. Flight safety training, English language training and logistics system modernization are also part of this mission.
• This mission demonstrates the flexibility of the CAF and provides its’ members with an excellent opportunity for the Canadian Armed Forces to learn from the recent operational experiences of their Ukrainian counterparts.
• In addition to providing military assistance in coordination with the U.S. and other countries, Canada’s support to Ukraine includes investments in economic development, reinforcing democratic institutions, and humanitarian aid.
• 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group deployed on Op UNIFIER in August 2015.

First Ukrainian Company nears end of training cycle under CAF OP UNIFIER

DND Press Release: 

The last seven weeks have been leading up to the final set of exercises for the Ukrainian infantry company from the 30th Mechanized Battalion currently training under the mentorship of their Canadian Armed Forces partners.

After hours spent in classrooms and in the field, the Ukrainian trainees enter the final set of exercises meant to confirm all of the training that has been conducted under Op UNIFIER at the International Peacekeeping and Security Centre in Starychi, Ukraine.

CAF Members work along side members of the Ukrainian Military during a training exercise, part of OP UNIFIER. November 25, 2015. Photo: CAF Combat Camera

“The past two months have seen a real exchange of skills and ideas between Canadian and Ukrainian soldiers,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Jason Guiney, Commander Joint Task Force Ukraine. “It is rewarding to see the first serial of training come to a successful end and I believe the soldiers that have undertaken this training will be better prepared for operations than they were eight weeks ago.”

These exercises are aimed at the platoon level and include both mechanized and dismounted live-fire ranges involving the Ukrainian Armed Forces Boevaya Mashina Pehoty-2 (BMP-2) Infantry Fighting Vehicles and a numerous of other weapon systems employed by them.

“The enthusiasm of the Ukrainians has been very high and they have developed a better understanding of how to employ their BMPs in platoon level operations. I believe they are better off now than before undertaking this training” said Lieutenant-Colonel Jason Guiney.

The instruction has been varied, continuous and has confirmed the value of the training package delivered by the CAF contingent. The training provided also included elements on weapons handling, first aid, artillery and mechanized infantry training.

“We started with basic gateway and refresher training,” said a Canadian infantry Sergeant who specializes in mechanized operations, “and as time moved on, we were able to incorporate mechanized and dismounted infantry tactics.”

While the final series of exercises is designed to confirm the skills learned by the Ukrainian soldiers, the CAF instructors are already scheduled to start training with a fresh Ukrainian infantry company.

The partnership between Canadians and Ukrainians continues to grow. The lessons and experiences learned over the past few months will be applied to the upcoming phase of training, as part of a multinational training effort, the Joint Multinational Training Group – Ukraine.

Operation UNIFIER is Canada’s contribution to support Ukrainian forces through capacity building, in coordination with the U.S. and other countries providing similar training assistance.

France announces sale of Mistral-Class ships to Egypt

Earlier this week news came out that Canada had been actively persuing the purchase of the two Mistral-Class Heli-Carriers from France for the Royal Canadian Navy. These vessels, once converted to Canadian Navy standards could have been thhe backbone to humanitarian missions around the word for the next thirty to forty years. That will not happen now.

 GEORGES GOBET/AFP/Getty Images

France announced today that they have come to terms with Egypt to sell the two warships. This deal comes a little more than 6 weeks after France finalized the repayment of $1.2 Billion Euro deal with Russia, after the West entered a Cold War like standoff with Russia over the Ukraine last year.

As the warships are being sold to Egypt, a close ally of both Russia and the West, the Russian technology that was installed on the two Mistral's will most likely be left aboard the ships. This technology would have been removed if they were sold to a NATO member, like Canada.

So the Royal Canadian Navy will continue to suffer waiting for its Canadian Surface Combatant Fleet, which are not yet fully designed, and not set to be in the water before the mid to late 2020s.
This would have been a huge bargain for the RCN, and it missed out because of the early call for the 2015 Election.

OP UNIFIER Taking Shape: Canada in Ukraine

The Department of National Defence announced yesterday that members of its Theater Activation Team (TAT) have been hard at work in the Ukraine setting up the Canadian Forces site for Task Force Ukraine that will deploy later this year.

Members of the CAF TAT team work with Ukrainian Soldiers to assemble the new dinning facility for CAF Task Force Ukraine personnel. Photo: DND; Aug, 15, 2015. 

Operation UNIFIER is Canada's contribution to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces through military capacity building in coordination with the US Armed Forces already on the ground in Ukraine.

The TAT team is largely based out of CFJOSG Kingston, other engineers, and specialists have been deployed from around the country to establish the Canadian camp near the International Peacekeeping and Security Center (IPSC) near Yavoriv, Ukraine.

The TAT team, approximately 90 CAF personnel arrived in the Ukraine on August 5, 2015 and before the beginning of September Task Force Ukraine will deploy.

Task Force Ukraine will be made up of approximately 200 CAF personnel that will be deployed until March 31, 2017. The majority of the first ROTO will be from 2 CMGB out of CFB Petawawa; while later ROTOs will be from 5 CMBG from CFB Valcartier.

Canada in Ukraine: Trainers to be in place by August

Despite the fact that the CAF's mission to the Ukraine was announced in April - very little has taken place to put the CAF on the ground in the Ukraine.

According to DND, a reconnaissance team has only just arrived in the Ukraine according to Lauren Armstrong, a spokeswomen for Defence Minister Kenney. They are scouting a location for the deployment of Canadian trainers.

Some 200 CAF trainers will help train the Ukrainian military in modern tactics. There has been no information given as to the delay in deploying the troops. Now troops will deploy on their two year mission in mid to late August, right in the heat of an Election campaign in Canada, which is set to vote in October 19.

United for Ukraine: CAF to deploy 200 Troops to the Ukraine

Defence Minister Jason Kenney and Chief of Defence Staff General Tom Lawson announced with Prime Minister Stephen Harper that the Canadian Armed Forces and Canada is United for Ukraine; and will deploy approximately 200 troops to the Ukraine to help train local forces, who are fighting the Russian-backed separatists. Approximately 10-12 Military Police will be part of the deployment - to better train the police forces in the region as well.

The CAF members will be deployed both on a sustained and periodic basis, depending on the type of training, which will last until the end of March 2017.

Kenney said that this is yet another step in Canada's efforts to help the Ukraine maintain its territorial integrity against Russian aggression.

It was announced that Canadian troops will be as far removed from the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

The training mission will begin during the summer of 2015 - and will take place primarily at the NATO training facility in Yavoriv, in Western Ukraine, near the Polish border. Other training will take place at the Ukrainian Defence De-mining Centre  in Kamyanets-Podilsky - also located in Western Ukraine. The Polish border is Canada's exit strategy, should the unthinkable happen, and Canadian troops are required to exit the Ukraine in a hurry.

Since January 2014, Canada has been sending non-lethal aid to the Ukraine, and has continued to refuse lethal aid. The Ukrainian embassy in Canada has said Canada's training assistance is highly appreciated.

CAF Most likely Headed to the Ukraine

While DND has yet to release any official plans, the government has not yet announced an expansion of Op REASSURANCE, CTVNews has learned that the CAF is preparing to send Canadian Troops to the Ukraine in a non-combat role, most likely to work alongside US forces in a training role.

CTVNews' source told CTV that "The government is still working out the details, but a training mission is one of the options on the table."

The Conservative government has been hinting at an expansion of Op REASSURANCE for weeks, even stating that its budget (with Op IMPACT's) will be kept quiet for security reasons. Canada is planning this mission to keep up its strong Anti-Putin stance and to help shore up the Ukrainian government.

Canada's Op REASSURANCE is currently comprised of:

Air Task Force:

• 4 CF-18 Hornet fighter jets, with Military personnel and support staff, deployed from January to April 2015 to Eastern Europe to maintain a Canadian presence among our NATO Allies.

NATO Baltic Air Policing 

• Stationed in Siauliai, Lithuania, 4 CF-18 Honet's along with 135 personnel and support staff were deployed from September to December 2014. 
• Part of NATO's peacetime role - to preserve integrity of European Airspace from Air attacks. This is provided for nations not having full range air defence assets of their own ( Albania, Luxembourg, Iceland, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia)

Air Task Force Romania 

• Stationed in Campia Turzii, Romania from May to August 2014 - 6 CF-18 Hornet's and approximately 200 personnel and support staff. 

Maritime Task Force: 

• Task Force HMCS Fredericton - Currently Deployed 
• Task Force HMCS Toronto - Deployed from July 2014 to January 2015 
• Task Force HMCS Regina - Deployed from January 2014 to August 2014

Land Task Force: 

Officially Deployed from May to December 2014 - however CAF personnel are deployed in the region under other* operations.

• Exercise ORZEL ALERT - Western Poland - 45 CAF Members, May 5-9 2014 
• Exercise SABRE STRIKE - Baltic States - 120 CAF Members, 9-20 June 2014
• Exercise PEGASUS KORSARZ - Poland - CAF led exercise, 23-27 June 2014 
• Exercise GNIEZNO - Poland - CAF led exercise, 2-6 July 2014 
• Exercise STEADFAST JAVELIN II - Latvia - 100 CAF Members, 2-8 September 2014 
• Exercise ANAKONDA - Poland 24 September to 3 October 2014 
• Exercise COMBINED RESOLVE III - Germany - 100 CAF Members, 16 September to 12 November 2014 
• Exercise IRON SWORD - Lithuania - 10 CAF Members  13-15 October and 2-14 November 2014
• Exercise FALCON - Poland 21-26 November 2014 
• Winter Warfare Training - Lithuania - 3rd RCR 8-12 December 2014 
• *Exercise ALLIED SPIRIT I - Germany 45 CAF Members 16-28 January 2015

HMCS Fredericton tailed by Russian Warships

HMCS Fredericton arrived in the Black Sea earlier this week to participate in NATO exercises with Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2). The voyage over went smoothly, but once it arrived things got interesting.

As soon as Fredericton joined with several other allied Nation vessels, two Russian Warships appeared within three nautical miles of the battle group.

The two Russian Warships followed the group for sometime until the SNMG2 group broke off into two separate formations, then the Russian ships went on their way.

DND has stated the the current exercises in the Black Sea are a response to Russian aggression towards the Ukraine.

It seems Russia is playing along nicely, and is pushing all the right buttons to put everyone on edge in the West.

This is the second provocation, last summer HMCS Toronto was 'buzzed' by a Russian warplane during its deployment to the Black Sea.

CAF to the Ukraine? New Minister Hints at possibility

The new Defence Minister Jason Kenney hinted late Wednesday that Canada is considering joining the United States in training the Ukrainian Military. Kenney also left the option open to extending Canada's mission against ISIS.

Kenney did not confirm anything, and nothing from DND has anything being official yet, but US forces are considering deploying to the Ukraine to help train the military on how to better defend themselves against Russian weaponry, including artillery and rockets.

The US mission would not begin until March of 2015, and by that point Canada's mission in Iraq is set to expire - but the Conservatives are likely to extend the mission, especially now that President Obama has asked congress for a limited ground war - and the wording he used is very similar to the mission Canadian Special Forces are doing right now.

So perhaps come March, Canadian Forces will be adding another training mission in the Ukraine to their list of deployments.

Original Article from Maclean's Magazein.

Canada, Ukraine,and Russia; Georgia as part of NATO?

Following the NATO Summit yesterday, Defence Minister Rob Nicholson again told Russia to back off in Ukraine.

NATO announced that it will establish six regional command posts (in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria) and expand the current Rapid Response Unit from 13,000 troops to 30,000 troops.

When asked if he thought the Rapid Response Unit would provoke Russia, and cause a larger conflict instead of ending the current situation in the Ukraine, Nicholson shrugged off the question. "Take a look at the way NATO is runs and has always run." Nicholson did stand firm on Canada not arming the Ukrainian Forces, but mentioned that the U.S. is still considering it.

It is true NATO has always encroached onto Russia territory, and pushed to have its defensive forces as close to Russia as possible. Now Georgia (which went to war in 2008 against Russia) is pushing for membership to NATO, and Canada fully supports the inclusion of the former Soviet state.

Russia on the other hand, has not yet backed down to any NATO placement in Europe, and believes the Rapid Response Unit will only cause further conflict.

To read the original Ottawa Citizen article:
Defence Minister Nicholson not worried about Russia