Vanguard Magazine

8 APRIL/MAY 2019 www.vanguardcanada.com S Sit ReP In April 2015, the Government of Canada announced that it would send about 200 members from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to Ukraine to support the security forces of that country. Known as Operation UNI- FIER, the CAF has been working since to assist with security forces training. To date, more than 10,800 Ukrainian service members have been trained. Although the initial mission was supposed to run until the end of March 2017, a two-year extension was made. Recently, another exten- sion was announced by Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, CAF to continue military training mission in Ukraine until early 2022 A member of the National Guard of Ukraine provides first aid to a simulated enemy during a field exercise as part of Operation UNIFIER near Zolochiv, Ukraine on March 13, 2019. Photo: Joint Task Force-Ukraine A member of the 36th Marine Infantry Battalion participates in full-scale field exercises at International Peacekeeping and Security Center Lviv, Ukraine on December 7, 2018 during Operation UNIFIER. Photo: Joint Task Force-Ukraine and Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, that the military train- ing mission in Ukraine will continue to the end of March 2022. The apparent reason for the extension is because of the "ongoing inse- curity in the region," according to a press release. "With the renewal of Operation UNIFIER, the women and men of our Canadian Armed Forces are playing a key role in helping build, develop and modernize the capabilities of Ukraine's defence and security forces," said Minister Sajjan. Through the continuation of Operation UNIFIER, the CAF will work to advance "military training and capacity-building assistance to Ukraine's defence and security forces." This will provide Ukraine with the means to maintain domestic security and territorial integrity while adding to re- gional and international stability. "The people of Ukraine know they can count on Canada," said Minister Freeland. "Operation UNIFIER is an essential part of our multifaceted sup- port to Ukraine. We are steadfast in our commitment to Ukraine's sover- eignty and territorial integrity, as it works toward a stable, democratic and prosperous future." Canada has provided Ukraine with more than $750 million in devel- opment, financial, humanitarian, and non-lethal military support since January 2014. Company Level Mobile Range with the Marine Infantry Battalion trainwith their T-80 tanks at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center in Lviv, Ukraine during Operation UNIFIER on November 29, 2018. Photo: Joint Task Force-Ukraine

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