Harper made the announcement on a visit to Canada’s defence headquarters in Ottawa. The military personnel will be active in training Ukrainian troops, he said, in areas of flight safety and logistics, improvised explosive devices and medicine.
“The Canadian military contribution being announced today will help Ukrainian forces personnel to better defend their country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the prime minister said in a press release.
Ukraine is locked in a deadly fight with pro-Russian separatist rebel forces, who are backed by Russia. Last month, the United Nations Human Rights Office put the number of those killed in the conflict at over 6,000. The U.N. also said that deadlier days appear to lie ahead. Most of the fighting is in eastern Ukraine.
The Crimean Peninsula was annexed from Ukraine by Russia with a treaty of accession in March of 2014 but that treaty is not recognized by Ukraine, nor is it recognized by most of the international community.
Canada has not sent troops since the fighting began in 2014 but have sent supplies, including logistical and medical equipment. The medical equipment is particularly needed as the U.N. said last week the “deteriorating health situation for internally displaced and others impacted by the conflict in Ukraine” is grave. Ukraine’s Ministry of Social Protection said there are 1.2 million displaced persons in the country.
The 200 Canadian troops will arrive in the summer and most will work out of a NATO facility in Yavoriv in western Ukraine, some 1300 km. from the battle area.
“Canada continues to stand with the people of Ukraine in the face of the Putin regime’s ongoing aggression,” Harper said in his statement.
