(OTTAWA) Canadian military personnel are barred from entering Ukraine unless their presence there is specifically approved by the Chief of the Defense Staff, General Wayne Eyre.
Posted at 5:55 p.m.
Updated at 8:54 p.m.
Thousands of foreign volunteers, including many Canadians, responded to the Ukrainian government’s call to fight the Russian invasion.
However, Lieutenant-General Frances Allen, Vice Chief of the Defense Staff, told the Commons Standing Committee on Defense on Wednesday that full-time members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), as well as part-time reservists are not allowed to volunteer to fight in Ukraine.
This order, which comes from General Wayne Eyre, also applies to service members who are currently on furlough or furlough.
“So for current CAF members, they are not allowed to be in the area, even if they were to be on leave,” Mr.me Allen on the committee alongside Defense Minister Anita Anand.
The only exception, she said, is if their presence in Ukraine is specifically approved by General Eyre. She did not specify whether Canadian troops are currently in Ukraine.
Canada currently had 250 military instructors in Ukraine, but the federal government said they were withdrawn to Poland shortly before the Russian invasion.
The government said those troops had been reallocated to support humanitarian aid, but Minister Anand did not give the committee an update, citing operational security.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for the creation of an “international brigade” to help repel the Russian invasion which began on February 24.
Thousands of foreigners have since responded to this call to arms, including many Canadians, despite federal government warnings against all travel to the country.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, and Ms.me Anand did not respond directly when asked what support would be offered to any Canadians captured in Ukraine. Rather, they wanted to dissuade Canadians from volunteering to go and fight in this country.
Russia has reportedly threatened criminal charges against any foreigner caught fighting in Ukraine.
Mme Allen also expressed concern that Moscow might try to use Canadians captured by Russian forces for propaganda purposes.
“Global Affairs has identified for Canadians the risks associated with entering a conflict zone at any given time, not only for their own safety and physical protection, but also for misinformation,” she said.
“Foreigners who can be hired in the country can be used in difficult and counterproductive ways for work there through the disinformation campaigns that we know Russia is very likely to use. »
Some experts have also raised questions about the legality of Canadians fighting in another country’s war, as well as potential security concerns given the presence of far-right paramilitary groups in Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine will be the focus of a special meeting of NATO leaders in Brussels on Thursday, which will be attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The government continues to look for ways to support Ukraine, including the possibility of buying more weapons for its army, Minister Anand told the committee.
“We are doing everything we can to help Ukrainian soldiers at this time, including exploring the possibility of sourcing from third-party suppliers, as well as liaising with our international partners to help support efforts for Ukrainian soldiers. bilaterally,” she explained.