Dozens of Canadian troops boarded a plane to Poland on Friday for what their commander said would be an intense but satisfying mission to help Ukrainians fleeing Russian aggression.
Approximately 80 soldiers who flew from Edmonton and another 20 from Trenton, Ont., Will offer humanitarian assistance at reception centers across Poland, said Major Ryan Pridmore, company commander of Princess Patricia’s 3rd Canadian Light Infantry Battalion.
They, along with a Canadian medical unit, must support the Polish Territorial Defense Forces in a two-month mission.
“All our soldiers are extremely happy to be deployed,” he said. “That’s what we’ve been training for. That’s why we’re doing this. Our soldiers are ready to go in there and start helping to change.”
Once the boots are on the ground, Pridmore said, he expects the soldiers to be sent straight to work.
“We have priests to provide spiritual guidance, as well as some mental health professionals when refugees arrive at reception centers,” said Pridmore, who previously served in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
Some of the other soldiers have experience in linguistics, he added.
He said Canada was ready to send about 50 more troops to help care for, coordinate and resettle Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
“We have a team there that prepares the stage, so we won’t go blind, but it will definitely be a pretty quick start to the business once we get on the ground.”
Canadian troops will support Polish Territorial Defense Forces in a two-month mission. (Jason Franson / Canadian Press)
On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Christie Freeland said in Calgary that it was appropriate to declare Russia’s occupation a genocide – as US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said – because thousands of Ukrainians had been killed and brutally executed.
Freeland cited a “freezing document” on a Russian website published 10 days ago, “which effectively sets out a plan for genocide in Ukraine calling for suffering, the punishment of people who have chosen, according to this document, wrongly and erroneously identified as Ukrainians.”
“This has forced the word Ukraine to be deleted,” said Freeland, who is also Canada’s finance minister.
Morality is “extremely high” when soldiers leave
The Ministry of National Defense said in a press release that the troops will also work with Canada on immigration, refugees and citizenship and “will act as a liaison with the Polish armed forces … to support the temporary residence of Ukrainians who want to work and study. in Canada. “
On Friday, some soldiers in Edmonton joked about their nerves, while others slept in the airport lounge before boarding their flight.
Soldiers from pic.twitter. com / ZItUTokFwl
– @ JuliaWongCBC
“I have been on several missions before, where I have seen people going out across the ocean, and this one is close to home for many people, because some people in the task force really have a Ukrainian heritage,” Leith said. Kevin Moffat, Public Relations Officer of the Canadian Armed Forces.
“I was very pleased to see that morale was extremely high and, in my observations, I would say that the working group will be very effective in Poland.
This story was created with the financial support of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship, which is not involved in the editorial process.
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