Operation Unifier

Last updated
Operation UNIFIER
Part of Russo-Ukrainian War
Independence Day military parade in Kyiv 2017 58.jpg
Canadian military personnel participating in the Ukrainian Independence Day military parade in Kyiv, 2017
Location
International Peacekeeping and Security Centre, Starychi, Ukraine (until 2022)
Poland and United Kingdom (from 2022)
Planned byFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Commanded byFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg Thomas J. Lawson 2015
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Stephen Harper 2015
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jason Kenney 2015
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Justin Trudeau 2015-
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Harjit Sajjan 2015-2021
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Jonathan Vance 2015-2021
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Art McDonald 2021
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Anita Anand 2021-
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Wayne Eyre 2021-
Flag of Sweden.svg Magdalena Andersson 2021-2022
Flag of Sweden.svg Ulf Kristersson 2022-
Flag of Ukraine.svg Petro Poroshenko
Flag of Ukraine.svg Volodymyr Zelensky
Objective
  • Bolster the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
  • Helping the development of the region
  • Maintaining security
  • Maintaining democracy
  • Providing humanitarian aid
  • Promoting economic stability and growth
DateApril 14, 2015–present
Executed byFlag of the Canadian Forces.svg Canadian Armed Forces
Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg Swedish Armed Forces
Ensign of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.svg  Armed Forces of Ukraine
OutcomeOngoing

Operation UNIFIER is the Canadian Armed Forces mission to bolster the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine through the provision of critical military training. [1] It was stood up in response to requests from the Government of Ukraine in light of fomentation by separatist sentiments in the Donetsk and Luhansk and Crimean regions of Ukraine after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine. Up until the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the training mission took place in Ukraine through a Multinational Joint Commission which included Canada, Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Since August 2022, the Canadian military has been working alongside the British Ministry of Defence in England to deliver training to Ukrainian recruits under Operation Interflex. [1]

Contents

History

In the past, this operation was part of the Multinational Joint Commission, a larger body composed of the U.S., UK, Canada, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania and Denmark, aimed at reforming Ukraine's military. The first Canadian troops to participate in the operation came from the 1st Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment. [2] [3] The Canadian contribution of training is provided by about 200 Canadian soldiers, rotating every six months, increased to 260 in January 2022. As of November 2018 there had been 230 course sessions and more than 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers trained under Operation UNIFIER. [4] After 2018, a small Swedish contingent operated within the framework. In December 2021, three Swedish officers were in Ukraine within the framework of Operation UNIFIER. [5]

Timeline

Canada made its first airmail delivery of non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine on August 7-8, 2014. This equipment mainly included cold protective clothing and was delivered to Boryspil International Airport by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). [6]

On January 10, 2015, the first shipment of non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine by sea arrived at the port of Odesa. [6]

On April 14, 2015, Canada announced the deployment of a CAF task force, known as Joint Task Force Ukraine or Operation UNIFIER, with nearly 200 Canadian Armed Forces stationed in Ukraine until March 31, 2017. The military training mission officially began on 14 September 2015 at the International Center for Security and Peacekeeping in Starychi and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Demining Center in Kamianets-Podilskyi. [6] Newly-promoted Minister of National Defence Jason Kenney announced Canadian military personnel would instruct Ukrainian forces as part of a $700 million gift he called Operation UNIFIER. [7]

On December 8, 2015, the Minister of National Defence of Canada, Harjit Sajjan, announced that his country had signed an agreement with Ukraine for joint military training and for strengthening its military capabilities.[ citation needed ]

On March 6, 2017, the Government of Canada announced the extension of Operation UNIFIER until the end of March 2019. [6]

On March 18, 2019, the Government of Canada announced the extension of Operation UNIFIER until the end of March 2022. [6]

On January 26, 2022, the Government of Canada announced the extension of Operation UNIFIER until the end of March 2025, and increased the complement of 200 by another 60. [8]

On February 13 the CAF announced that the operation would be temporarily suspended due to the 2021–2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis, with most of the units involved being sent to Poland. Canada has assured Ukraine that the withdrawal is only temporary. [9] [10] The Swedish contingent was also withdrawn at this time. [11]

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014.

The CAF personnel who were deployed on Op UNIFIER returned to Canada on March 18, 2022. [6]

On April 20, 2022, Russia announced retaliatory sanctions against a number of senior Canadian military officials as well soldiers who commanded Operation UNIFIER in Ukraine since 2015 prohibiting them from entering Russia. [12]

In August 2022, CAF personnel deployed to the UK to resume the training of Ukrainian recruits, with the expectation to assist with the training of approximately 10,000 Security Force soldiers. [1]

Between October 2022 and March 2023, CAF has deployed combat engineers, soldiers and medical personnel to Poland to assist in the training of the Ukrainian forces. [1]

Mission

According to lobbyists from the NATO Association of Canada, Operation UNIFIER's broader mission includes: [13]

Ukrainian diaspora response

Members of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada positively welcomed the Canadian government's contribution to reform the Ukrainian military. A number of community appreciation events were held in Toronto, Edmonton and Winnipeg for CAF members who have served in Operation UNIFIER. [14] [15] [16] On July 1, 2018, the Band of the Ceremonial Guard performed during its daily guard mounting ceremony on Parliament Hill, a Ukrainian military march known as "Shchob shabli ne braly, shchob Kuli mynaly" (Щоб шаблі не брали, щоб кулі минали) in front of members of the Ukrainian diaspora during the ceremony, as a response to the operation. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latvian National Armed Forces</span> Combined military forces of Latvia

The Latvian National Armed Forces, or NBS, are the armed forces of Latvia. Latvia's defense concept is based on a mobile professional rapid response force and reserve segment that can be called upon relatively fast for mobilization should the need arise. The National Armed Forces consists of Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force and National Guard. Its main tasks are to protect the territory of the State; participate in international military operations; and to prevent threats to national security.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Armed Forces</span> National military force of Sweden

The Swedish Armed Forces are the armed forces of the Kingdom of Sweden, tasked with the defence of the country as well as with promoting Sweden's wider interests, supporting international peacekeeping, and providing humanitarian aid. It consists of four service branches: the Swedish Army, the Swedish Air Force and the Swedish Navy, as well as a military reserve force, the Home Guard. Since 1994, all Swedish military branches are organised within a single unified government agency, the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters, which is headed by the Supreme Commander, even though the individual services maintain their distinct identities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Armed Forces</span> Unified military force

The Canadian Armed Forces are the unified military forces of Canada, including land, sea, and air commands referred to as the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The CAF also operates several other commands, including the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, the Canadian Joint Operations Command, and the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFB Edmonton</span> Canadian Forces base

3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton, formerly known as and commonly referred to as CFB Edmonton is a Canadian Forces base located in Sturgeon County adjacent to the City of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. It is also known as Edmonton Garrison or "Steele Barracks".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MultiCam</span> Camouflage pattern

MultiCam is a camouflage pattern designed for use in a wide range of environments and conditions which was specifically developed and is produced by American company Crye Precision. As a result of the pattern's effectiveness across disparate environments and regions, it has found extensive adoption globally. Variants of it, some unlicensed, are in use with armed forces worldwide, particularly with special operations units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military reserve force</span> Military organization composed of citizens

A military reserve force is a military organization whose members (reservists) have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve forces are generally considered part of a permanent standing body of armed forces, and allow a nation to reduce its peacetime military expenditures and maintain a force prepared for war. During peacetime, reservists typically serve part-time alongside a civilian job, although most reserve forces have a significant permanent full-time component as well. Reservists may be deployed for weeks or months-long missions during peacetime to support specific operations. During wartime, reservists may be kept in service for months or years at a time, although typically not for as long as active duty soldiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ukrainian Ground Forces</span> Land forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

The Ukrainian Ground Forces, also referred to as the Ukrainian army, are the land forces of Ukraine and one of the eight branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They were formed from Ukrainian units of the Soviet Army after Ukrainian independence, and trace their ancestry to the 1917–22 army of the Ukrainian People's Republic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Special Operations Regiment</span> Commando and special forces unit of the Canadian Armed Forces

The Canadian Special Operations Regiment is a special forces unit of the Canadian Armed Forces and forms part of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). The regiment's roles include conducting complex or difficult raids, capturing strategic facilities and undertaking reconnaissance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Participants in Operation Enduring Freedom</span> Countries that partook in the 2001 United States-led invasion of Afghanistan

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, several nations took on Al-Qaeda and the Taliban during Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan. OEF was the initial combat operations starting on 7 October 2001, in the wake of the 11 September attacks on the United States, and during 2002 and 2003.

In the Canadian Armed Forces, a Regular Force unit or person is part of the full-time military, as opposed to being part of the Primary Reserve which has more flexibility. There are many bases and wings across Canada, and factors like trade, career progression, and environment will affect where the person ends up. They receive more pay and benefits than members of the Primary Reserve and can be ordered into overseas deployments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armed Forces of Ukraine</span> Combined military forces of Ukraine

The Armed Forces of Ukraine are the military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the President of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rada parliamentary commission. They trace their lineage to 1917, while the modern armed forces were formed after Ukrainian independence in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NATO Enhanced Forward Presence</span> Forward-deployed defense and deterrence posture in Eastern Europe

Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) is a NATO-allied forward-deployed defense and deterrence military force in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. This posture in Northern Europe through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and in Central Europe through Poland, Slovakia and Hungary and in Eastern Europe through Romania and Bulgaria, is in place to protect and reassure the security of NATO's Northern, Central and Eastern European member states on NATO's eastern flank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Band of the Ceremonial Guard</span>

The Band of the Ceremonial Guard is an ad hoc military band that is attached to the Canadian Forces Ceremonial Guard in Ottawa. All members of the band are fully trained members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and consists of personnel principally from the two Foot Guards regiments and has even since 2007 been manned by a pan–Canadian Forces approach that is inclusive to musicians from the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force. The band forms a separate company within the CG and rely on the Headquarters Company for administration and support personnel. In full composition, the band is active from April to August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anita Anand</span> Canadian politician and professor (born 1967)

Anita Indira Anand is a Canadian lawyer and politician who has served as the president of the Treasury Board since July 2023. She has represented the riding of Oakville in the House of Commons since the 2019 federal election, sitting as a member of the Liberal Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Orbital</span> British training mission in Ukraine

Operation Orbital was the code-name for a British military operation to train and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was launched in 2015 in response to the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea. It provided training to over 22,000 Ukrainian military personnel before it was suspended ahead of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A successor, Operation Interflex, which involves a larger, British-led multinational training programme, was launched in the United Kingdom soon after.

Operation Laser is a domestic operation of the Canadian Armed Forces for contingency planning and response in the event of a pandemic. Its three goals are: protecting CAF personnel and capability, assessing CAF capabilities to respond to a pandemic, and assisting other government departments in the event of a pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military history of the Russian Federation</span>

The military history of the Russian Federation began with the establishment of the Russian Armed Forces following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This was followed by its engagements in post-Soviet conflicts, from the ongoing war in Transnistria that started in 1990, after which many reforms were put in place during the late 1990s and the 2000s. Recently, the Russian military invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and 2022, and intervened in the Syrian Civil War in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Interflex</span> British training mission in Ukraine

Operation Interflex is the operational code name for the British-led multinational military operation to train and support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It is a successor to Operation Orbital (2015–2022) and began in July 2022. Unlike its predecessor, Operation Interflex takes place within the United Kingdom and is supported by contingents from international partners.

Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) is a national charitable organization established in 1995. The CUF coordinates, develops, organizes, and implements aid projects created by Canadians and sent to Ukraine and other projects in Canada.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Defence, National (2015-07-31). "Operation UNIFIER". www.canada.ca. Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  2. "Current operations - Operation Unifier". 2015-07-31. Retrieved 1 Aug 2018.
  3. "Canadian troops arrive in Ukraine to train soldiers fighting separatists" . Retrieved 3 Aug 2018.
  4. Defence, National (2018-12-06). "Commander of the Canadian Army visits soldiers on Operation Unifier". gcnws. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
  5. "Därför utbildar Sverige ukrainska säkerhetsstyrkor" [The reason Sweden trains Ukrainian security forces] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 14 December 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Operation Unifier". Government of Canada. 2015-07-31.
  7. Johnson, Richard (27 November 2015). "Canada's colder war in Ukraine". The Washington Post.
  8. Aaron D'Andrea, Amanda Connolly, and Crystal Goomansingh (2022-01-26). "Canada will not send weapons to Ukraine, boosting cyber support and training mission - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2022-02-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. Brewster, Murray (February 13, 2022). "Canadian military trainers pulled out of Ukraine before anticipated Russian invasion: sources". CBC News . Retrieved February 14, 2022.
  10. "Canada relocates military personnel out of Ukraine amid Russia threats". Reuters. 2022-02-13. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
  11. "Sveriges bidrag till Operation Unifier har lämnat Ukraina" [The Swedish contribution to Operation Unifier has left Ukraine]. Swedish Armed Forces (in Swedish). 14 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  12. Chase, Steven (2022-04-21). "Russia targets 61 Canadians with sanctions including politicians, journalists and soldiers". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-04-21.
  13. Ava-Pointon, Isabelle (28 May 2018). "Why Operation Unifier Matters". NATO Association of Canada.
  14. Zeilig, Martin (October 4, 2018). "2PPCLI Op Unifier soldiers invited to Winnipeg for Oct. 14 event". Shilo Stag.
  15. "Ukrainian War Veterans Association of Canada holds a Canadian Armed Forces Appreciation Event in Toronto Ukrainian Canadian Congress - Toronto Branch". ucctoronto.ca. Archived from the original on 2018-10-19. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  16. "Operation Unifier Deserves Our Gratitude | New Pathway Ukrainian News | Новий Шлях Українські Вісті". New Pathway Ukrainian News | Новий Шлях Українські Вісті. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  17. "Щоб кулі минали: зміна почесної варти в Канаді пройшла під українську пісню. Відеофакт". July 2018.