Scope of Canadian Mission in Ukraine Expanded

Canada is stepping up its illegal military intervention in the Ukrainian civil war and its troops are now permitted to deploy in any part of the country, the Canadian Press reported on June 14. In an interview, the mission commander Lt.-Col. Mark Lubiniecki stated that restrictions keeping Canadian soldiers in the western half of the country were removed when the mission was extended in March. Lubiniecki said Canadian soldiers must keep a certain distance from the Russian border, but would not reveal how far. News reports failed to mention that Canada's military deployment is in violation of the 2015 Minsk ceasefire agreement and subsequent Minsk II agreement which bar foreign troops from taking part in the conflict. Despite the clear violation Canada, the U.S. and Britain continued to send troops after the agreements had gone into effect. Canadian troops are in Ukraine for Operation UNIFIER, which the Department of National Defence says is "to support Ukrainian armed forces in Ukraine. The operation's focus is to assist them with military training. This will help them improve and build their military capacity. The CAF coordinates its training with training by the U.S. and other countries that help in the same way. Military training is one part of Canada's overall support to Ukraine." Within the "Ukrainian armed forces" are not only regular forces which have been depleted by desertions and low morale since the 2014 U.S.-backed Ukrainian coup, but a "National Guard" made up of fascist paramilitary groups formed after the coup to suppress the people's resistance. They have been widely accused of terrible crimes against the people and war crimes, particularly targeting so-called pro-Russian Ukrainians, communists and those opposing the coup government. Since the coup, Canada has provided $700 million to Ukraine including for military equipment. The coup in January 2014 and subsequent civil war have taken more than 10,000 lives and displaced millions. More than a million have become internally displaced persons while nearly two million are refugees in Russia. Canada joined the war following the U.S. in support of the coup regime based in Kiev, which is fighting and imposing a blockade against the Donbass region that has proclaimed its own republics which seek autonomous status and protection of their rights. Canada's increased footprint in Ukraine comes as part of the Liberals' stated aim for Canada to exercise "global leadership" including the justifications that Canada must spend tens of billions of dollars on military funding in the name of bringing itself up to par with demands from the aggressive NATO military alliance for massive increases to military spending. While troop numbers for Operation Unifier have not been increased at this time, Canada is sending troops to Latvia with the same aim as Operation UNIFIER -- the encirclement and isolation of Russia, justified on the basis of disinformation about "Russian aggression." What is the Trudeau government up to with the surprise announcement that soldiers can be deployed throughout Ukraine? As in Iraq, Canada officially declares it is not part of a combat mission in Ukraine. In the case of Iraq this has been shown to be a lie time and time again and furthermore covers up the aggressive aim of both missions. Canadians should demand answers about the Trudeau government's unacceptable escalation of Canada's role in imperialist intervention in Ukraine. TML Weekly is providing below a Supplement on Canada's longstanding interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine and its people. Far from being a new development since the crisis in that country became acute with the decision of foreign powers to overthrow its elected government in 2013/2014, Canada's intervention is longstanding, far-ranging and unprecedented. The anti-people aims of this intervention underscore the urgent necessity for Canadians to step up the work to make Canada a zone for peace and organize an anti-war government. TML Weekly thanks Tony Seed for his contribution in researching, compiling and preparing this material as well as for his insights. The material has been further enriched using files from Bill Shpikula and the Hardial Bains Resource Centre. The publication and dissemination of this important information aims to contribute to giving expression to the Canadian people's aspiration for their country to contribute to peace and security on a world scale, not war preparations and imperialist adventures. (TML Weekly No. 23, June 24, 2017)