Operation Unifier


Operation Unifier, also known as Canadian Armed Forces Joint Task Force-Ukraine, is the Canadian Armed Forces contribution to the security of Ukraine in coordination with the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It was begun in light of fomentation by the Russians of separatist sentiments in the Donbass and Luhansk and Crimean regions of the Ukraine after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine.

Synopsis

The operation is part of Multinational Joint Commission, a larger body composed of the U.S., UK, Canada, Sweden, Poland, Lithuania and Denmark aimed at reforming Ukraine's military. Canadian troops that participate in the operation come from the 1st Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment. The Canadian contribution of training is provided by about 200 Canadian soldiers, rotating every 6 months. As of November 2018 there have been 230 course sessions and more than 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been trained under Operation Unifier.

History

Canada made its first delivery of non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine on November 28, 2014. This equipment mainly included cold protective clothing and was delivered to Kiev Boryspil Airport by the Royal Canadian Air Force. On December 8, the Minister of National Defence of Canada, Harjit Sajjan, announced that his country has signed an agreement with Ukraine for joint military training and for strengthening its military capabilities. On January 10, 2015, the first shipment of non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine by sea arrived at the port of Odessa. 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.

Extensions

On March 6, 2017, the Government of Canada announced the extension of Operation Unifier until the end of March 2019.
On March 18, 2019, the Government of Canada announced the extension of Operation Unifier until the end of March 2022.

Mission

According to lobbyists from the NATO Association of Canada, Operation Unifier's broader mission includes:
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. 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" in front of members of the Ukrainian diaspora during the ceremony, as a sort of response to the operation.