Re: Ukraine / Latvia

by **Zoneforce** Mon 04 Apr 2022, 4:22 pm

'Can't sit back and watch': Former Canadian soldier joins fight in Ukraine

Joseph Tunney · CBC News · Posted: Apr 04, 2022

Ukraine / Latvia - Page 5 Ottawa-ex-solider

CBC News

by **Spider** Wed 06 Apr 2022, 9:12 am

Canadians face barriers in bid to join fight in Ukraine

Published Tuesday, April 5, 2022

CTV News

by Caliber Wed 13 Apr 2022, 9:19 am

As NATO bolsters its defences, more Canadian soldiers arrive in Latvia

Briar Stewart · CBC News · Posted: Apr 13, 2022

Ukraine / Latvia - Page 5 Artillery-troops-in-latvia

CBC News

by Whiskey Thu 14 Apr 2022, 4:20 pm

Canadian troops being deployed to Poland on humanitarian mission

Darren Major · CBC News · Posted: Apr 14, 2022

CBC News

by **Replica** Tue 19 Apr 2022, 7:55 pm

Local veterans react to Ukraine war, two men wonder how far it will go

Darren Taylor April 19. 2022

Two Sault veterans - permanently affected by the horrors of being in overseas wars while serving Canada - have shared with SooToday how they have reacted to Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

“I feel discouraged. It’s genocide. It’s unbelievable what’s going on over there. We’re in a world right now where we don’t know what’s happening with all the COVID variants and the war in Ukraine. I’ll call it a war because it is a war,” said Frank Iezzi.

Iezzi served with the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan and has openly shared his struggle with memories of that war as reported earlier by SooToday.

Observing women and children fleeing Ukraine as refugees for other countries such as Poland, Iezzi asked, in a soul searching question, ‘what would you say if that happened in Canada?’”

“For a veteran, it’s very hard to see and very hard to watch.”

Though PTSD affects many Canadian veterans of the Afghanistan war, Iezzi said “I know a lot of veterans who wouldn’t hesitate if they were in better condition to go over and help.”

Despite his own battle with PTSD, Sault veteran, Bryan Gagne said “I called the Ukrainian embassy and I wanted to go and do my part. After a brief talk with my wife she said ‘you’re not going', so I said okay and we’re just trying to find other ways to help Ukrainians aside from using my suit of armour again. We’re just trying to get involved in fundraising and humanitarian efforts.”

Gagne is a veteran of four tours of duty in Afghanistan.

He said he was wounded in Iraq in 2015 while serving as a Canadian Special Operations Regiment soldier, training and supporting the Iraqi Security Forces and its Kurdish branch in its campaign against ISIS extremists.

“A lot of troops go over and they come back and they have mental health issues. We don’t know when this conflict’s going to be over but I can imagine a lot of the Ukrainian troops over there are going to have similar issues on a larger scale,” Gagne said.

TV news reports from Ukraine have shown many children - too young to understand extremist politics from an external enemy and how it leads to war and pain - sob because of the physical and emotional agony of their shrapnel wounds.

“It’s the biggest thing in the world, is children and women,” Iezzi said.

“We try to protect our children and our ladies. I can’t watch it. I see things on social media but it’s difficult to watch and difficult to hear about. You try to protect everyone you can in your life, your family and friends. You have to move on but it’s difficult when you see stuff on TV and social media that’s disturbing. Very disturbing.”

Iezzi said he has thrown himself into a recently launched small local business that he co-owns with his wife to keep his mind off Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

“Keeping occupied, as a veteran, is the best thing for you, but a lot of veterans can’t or won’t. I try to keep in touch with my fellow veterans in the city or the Algoma District just to see how they’re doing. We try to keep busy that way, just to talk with each other and not bring up any emotions or feelings about what’s going on and just talk among ourselves.”

“I have been diagnosed with PTSD but I’ve also had many years to figure out coping strategies to deal with it and I’m happy to say I’m on the other side of those types of things. There are different events that trigger things like that but you learn strategies to get past those things,” Gagne said.

Where do the two men see the Russian attack on Ukraine going?

Iezzi said he believes in sending humanitarian aid and some weaponry to Ukraine.

“It’s a scary situation.”

“Putin can hit a couple buttons and who knows what’s going to happen?”

Iezzi said he believes NATO countries - including Canada - are keeping their heads cool and not trying to provoke Russia into starting a Third World War.

“Hopefully all the women and children can get away from that, but it’s scary.”

“Russia is scary. Mr. Putin is scary at this time. I don’t know if it’s just him trying to flex his military muscles and seeing what people around him are going to do. Will Putin go further? I don’t know.”

“I wouldn’t want to be in NATO’s position. How far do you want to take it and what retaliation will Putin have? It’s scary,” Iezzi said.

“In Ukraine there are atrocities. It’s a conventional war in the truest sense,” Gagne said.

“Right now it’s turning into a proxy war. We’re using the Ukrainian soldiers to fight. We’re arming the Ukrainians and I’m actually quite surprised that Justin Trudeau started giving munitions and lethal weapons. I thought Canada is doing its part this time, but from here you won’t see Canada engage any further until the United States of America does. Obviously it’s NATO in the larger sense but it’ll be the U.S.A. to say ‘okay we’re doing it’ and once the U.S.A. says it then it’ll be a domino effect.”

“If they hit a NATO country it’ll be a mass war in a huge context. We shouldn’t be letting Putin threaten us. At some point we’ve got to say no and that's the entire point of NATO.”

While the world hopes the Russian attack on Ukraine will not escalate into something far worse, Canada - and in a local sense, Sault Ste. Marie - has said it will welcome refugees fleeing Ukraine.

Gagne told us that his wife is of Ukrainian descent, so it hits home.

“If any of them come to the Sault they’ll be welcome for sure. I know in Sault Ste. Marie fashion everyone will donate and give as much as possible.”

SOOTODAY

by Vexmax Fri 22 Apr 2022, 4:09 pm

Souris, P.E.I. veteran heading to Ukraine to fight in war against Russia

April 22. 2022

SALTWIRE

by Covert Thu 05 May 2022, 8:46 am

DND says review exonerates Canada's mission in Ukraine of training extremists

Published May 4, 2022

Ukraine / Latvia - Page 5 Military-order-centuria-1-5631333-1634761819450

CTV News

by **Warrior** Fri 06 May 2022, 4:04 pm

05.06.2022

by Gridlock Sat 07 May 2022, 8:38 am

Retired Canadian Forces reservist delivers life-saving medical supplies to Ukrainian soldiers

Ashley Burke · CBC News · Posted: May 07, 2022

Ukraine / Latvia - Page 5 Russia-ukraine-war

CBC News

by Stargunner Tue 24 May 2022, 7:46 pm

Canada to buy $98 million worth of ammunition to donate to Ukraine

The donation will include 155 mm NATO standard ammunition, including fuses and charge bags, the Canadian government announced Tuesday.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
May 24, 2022

Canada will purchase 20,000 artillery rounds from the U.S. to donate to Ukraine’s military which continues to battle Russian forces.

The cost to taxpayers for the latest donation of military equipment is $98 million. No details were provided on when the ammunition will be sent to Ukraine or how it will be transported to that country.

The donation will include 155 mm NATO standard ammunition, including fuses and charge bags, the Canadian government announced Tuesday. The ammunition will be fired from guns, including M777 howitzers that Canada and other nations have already donated to Ukrainian forces.

“Work is underway to get this much needed aid expedited and delivered to Ukraine as quickly as possible,” National Defence announced in a news release.

Besides artillery, Canada has already provided anti-tank systems, grenades and drone cameras to Ukraine. In February it also sent a shipment that included .50-calibre sniper rifles equipped with silencers, 60-millimetre mortars, grenade launchers, pistols, ammunition, thermal-imaging binoculars, cameras, scopes and medical supplies. The equipment was enough to equip a force of between 500 and 600 personnel. The shipment also included C6 and C9 machine guns, which are used by the Canadian Forces.

The announcement of the Canadian donation follows a meeting of 50 defence leaders from around the world on Monday to coordinate providing more weapons to Ukraine.

Denmark has agreed to send a Harpoon launcher and missiles to Ukraine to help it defend its coast. Russia has ships in the Black Sea and has used them to launch cruise missiles into Ukraine. The Russian ships have also stopped all commercial ship traffic from entering Ukraine ports.

“We’ve gained a sharper, shared sense of Ukraine’s priority requirements and the situation on the battlefield,” U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told journalists at the close of the virtual meeting with defence leaders. “Many countries are donating critically needed artillery ammunition, coastal defence systems and tanks and other armoured vehicles. Others came forward with new commitments for training.”

NATO nations have been shipping large amounts of weapons to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion of that country by Russia.

Some view the war as an opportunity to either force regime change in Russia or seriously weaken that country militarily.

On May 9, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told the Associated Press that removing Russian President Vladimir Putin from power is the only way to protect the West and its allies from future threats. He noted that not only Putin must be removed but all members of his inner circle.

Austin, who was a retired four-star U.S. general, said last month that with enough equipment Ukraine can defeat Russia.

Austin told reporters the U.S. wants to see “Russia weakened to the degree that it can’t do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine”.

Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden signed legislation to provide Ukraine with $40 billion in American assistance. Of that, about $20 billion will be for weapons. The U.S. had earlier provided $13.6 billion in support.

Putin has said Russia needed to conduct what he has called a “special military operation” in Ukraine because the U.S. was using that nation to threaten Russia.

Defence Watch

by Viper Tue 31 May 2022, 7:39 pm

Canada is in discussions to buy 100,000 artillery shells for Ukraine

A South Korean official told the Korea Herald daily newspaper that the government had not yet formally begun procedures to proceed with the export of the ammunition.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
May 31, 2022

Canada is in the midst of discussions to purchase 100,000 artillery shells for Ukraine in a deal that could cost taxpayers several hundred million dollars.

Canadian officials have been talking with their counterparts in South Korea to acquire the 100,000 rounds of 155-millimetre artillery ammunition, media outlets in South Korea have reported. Canada would then provide that ammunition to Ukraine.

The Liberal government has already announced it is spending $98 million to buy 20,000 similar artillery rounds from the United States for Ukraine. If the South Korean deal goes through, Canadian taxpayers could potentially pay as much as $500 million. But South Korean broadcaster SBS has reported that Canada may be receiving a deal and that the ammunition may be provided at a lower than normal price.

Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier said Canada was committed to providing military aid to Ukraine. “As a general rule, we do not provide specifics on ongoing exploratory work with partners,” he said Tuesday.

A South Korean official told the Korea Herald daily newspaper that the government had not yet formally begun procedures to proceed with the export of the ammunition. South Korea’s military has been reviewing whether it is capable of supplying the artillery shells in light of its weapons stocks and readiness posture, the media outlet reported.

The Liberal government has already provided Ukraine with Canadian Forces M777 artillery guns that can use the 155-mm ammunition.

Besides artillery, Canada has shipped Carl Gustaf anti-tank systems, grenades and drone cameras to Ukraine. In February, it also sent a shipment that included .50-calibre sniper rifles equipped with silencers, 60-millimetre mortars, grenade launchers, pistols, ammunition, thermal-imaging binoculars, cameras, scopes and medical supplies. The equipment was enough to equip a force of between 500 and 600 personnel. The shipment also included C6 and C9 machine guns, which are used by the Canadian Forces.

NATO nations have been sending large amounts of weapons to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion of that country by Russia. Some NATO officials view the war as an opportunity to either force regime change in Russia or to seriously weaken that country militarily.

In addition, NATO’s push to send billions of dollars in weapons to Ukraine has meant a windfall for mainly American defence firms as the U.S., Canada, and other nations will eventually have to replenish their stocks. New orders have already been placed by the U.S. Pentagon for missiles and other equipment. The Pentagon has estimated it will eventually provide Ukraine with around $20 billion in military aid.

Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre has called on defence companies to go to a war-time production footing so more weapons can be acquired.

Retired Canadian defence chief Gen. Rick Hillier has also called on Canada to donate 250 of its 600 light armoured vehicles to Ukraine. Hillier told the National Post that the lack of operational readiness in the Canadian Forces meant the army was unlikely to deploy any time soon and would have plenty of light armoured vehicles left. The Canadian Army has countered that its units are operationally ready and are prepared to handle any missions outlined by the federal government.

In addition, retired generals Hillier, Andrew Leslie and Dean Milner have all claimed the Carl Gustaf anti-tank systems that Canada provided to Ukraine are obsolete. Ukraine military officials, however, have confirmed they used the Carl Gustafs to destroy Russian tanks.

The Ukraine war has also been highlighted by retired Canadian generals, as well as academics and analysts who receive funding from the defence industry, as a reason to significantly boost Canada’s military budget.

Defence Watch

by Covert Wed 15 Jun 2022, 7:20 am

'No regrets': A Canadian volunteer wounded in Ukraine is coming home

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Jun 15, 2022

Ukraine / Latvia - Page 5 Ukraine-crisis-donbas-region

CBC News

by **Rockarm** Sun 26 Jun 2022, 8:57 am

Canadian special forces operating in Ukraine, New York Times reports

The Department of National Defence and\ the office of Defence Minister Anita Anand did not comment on the report.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jun 25, 2022

Canadian special forces are in Ukraine as part of a NATO network to provide weapons, training and gather intelligence about the Russians, the New York Times is reporting.

Neither the Department of National Defence nor the office of Defence Minister Anita Anand would comment on the report published Saturday that noted a few dozen commandos from NATO countries, including Britain, France, Canada and Lithuania, had been working inside Ukraine. The United States withdrew its own 150 military instructors before the war began in February.

But the New York Times, citing three U.S. officials, reported that special forces from the NATO countries either remained or had gone in and out of Ukraine since then, training and advising Ukrainian troops and providing an on-the-ground conduit for weapons and other aid.

U.S. special forces have also established a coalition planning cell in Germany to co-ordinate military assistance to Ukrainian commandos and other Ukrainian troops, the New York Times reported. The cell, which has grown to 20 nations, is modelled after a similar structure the U.S. and its NATO allies used in Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Secretary Christine E. Wormuth has confirmed the cell provides intelligence and co-ordination for the flow of NATO weapons into Ukraine, allowing such convoys to avoid Russian attacks.

Both CTV and Global News reported in late January that Canadian special forces had been sent to Ukraine, but National Defence did not comment on that deployment.

The Liberal government is strongly supportive of Ukraine. It is still in discussions with South Korea to purchase 100,000 artillery shells for Ukraine in a deal that could cost Canadian taxpayers several hundred million dollars.

The Liberal government already spent $98 million to buy 20,000 similar artillery rounds from the U.S. for Ukraine. In addition, it has provided Ukraine with Canadian Forces M777 artillery guns that can use the 155-millimetre ammunition.

Besides artillery, Canada has shipped Carl Gustaf anti-tank systems, grenades and drone cameras to Ukraine. In February, it also sent a shipment that included .50-calibre sniper rifles equipped with silencers, 60-millimetre mortars, grenade launchers, pistols, ammunition, thermal-imaging binoculars, cameras, scopes and medical supplies. The equipment was enough to equip a force of between 500 and 600 personnel. The shipment also included C6 and C9 machine guns, which are used by the Canadian Forces.

NATO nations have been sending large amounts of weapons to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion of that country by Russia. Some NATO officials view the war as an opportunity to either force regime change in Russia or to seriously weaken that country militarily.

On May 9, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told the Associated Press that removing Russian President Vladimir Putin from power was the only way to protect the West and its allies from future threats. Landsbergis noted that not only Putin must be removed, but also all members of his inner circle.

U.S. defence secretary Lloyd Austin, a retired four-star U.S. general, said earlier this year that, with enough equipment, Ukraine could defeat Russia. Austin told reporters the U.S. wanted to see “Russia weakened to the degree that it can’t do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine.”

In addition, NATO’s push to send billions of dollars in weapons to Ukraine has meant a windfall for mainly American defence firms as the U.S., Canada, and other nations will eventually have to replenish their stocks. New orders have already been placed by the U.S. Pentagon for missiles and other equipment. The Pentagon has estimated it will eventually provide Ukraine with $20 billion in military aid.

Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre has called on defence companies to go to a war-time production footing so more weapons can be acquired.

Defence Watch

by Slider Tue 28 Jun 2022, 5:54 am

Canadian special forces don't deny New York Times report that commandos are in Ukraine

The Times reported Saturday that Canadian special forces personnel were in Ukraine as part of a NATO network to provide weapons and training as well as gather intelligence about the Russians.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jun 27, 2022

Canadian special forces aren’t denying a report from a U.S. newspaper that some of its commandos are operating in Ukraine.

The New York Times, citing three U.S. officials, reported Saturday that Canadian special forces personnel were in Ukraine as part of a NATO network to provide weapons and training as well as gather intelligence about the Russians. A few dozen commandos from NATO countries, including Britain, France, Canada and Lithuania, are noted as involved in the effort.

Canadian Special Operations Forces Command won’t deny the U.S. report. Canadian defence sources told this newspaper the New York Times report is accurate.

Both CTV and Global News reported in late January that Canadian special forces had been sent to Ukraine but no further details were provided.

Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Canadian special forces had been in and out of Ukraine for various missions. In September 2020, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command publicly acknowledged its personnel were in Ukraine conducting training but provided no other details.

The United States withdrew its own 150 military instructors before the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in late February. But U.S. special forces have established a coalition planning cell in Germany to co-ordinate military assistance to Ukrainian commandos and other Ukrainian troops, the New York Times reported. The cell has now grown to 20 nations and is modelled after a similar structure the U.S. and its NATO allies used in Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Secretary Christine E. Wormuth has confirmed the cell provides intelligence and co-ordination for the flow of NATO weapons into Ukraine, allowing such convoys to avoid Russian attacks.

The Liberal government is strongly supportive of Ukraine. It is still in discussions with South Korea to purchase 100,000 artillery shells for Ukraine in a deal that could cost Canadian taxpayers several hundred million dollars. It has already spent $98 million to buy 20,000 similar artillery rounds from the U.S. for Ukraine. In addition, the Liberal government has provided Ukraine with Canadian Forces M777 artillery guns that can use the 155mm ammunition.

Besides artillery, Canada has shipped Carl Gustaf anti-tank systems, grenades and drone cameras to Ukraine. In February, it also sent a shipment that included .50-calibre sniper rifles equipped with silencers, 60-millimetre mortars, grenade launchers, pistols, ammunition, thermal-imaging binoculars, cameras, scopes and medical supplies. The equipment was enough to equip a force of between 500 and 600 personnel. The shipment also included C6 and C9 machine guns, which are used by the Canadian Forces.

Retired chief of the defence staff Gen. Rick Hillier has called on the Canadian military to give up about half its armoured vehicles and all of its remaining artillery to Ukraine as part of Canada’s efforts to arm that nation.

NATO nations have been sending large amounts of weapons to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion. Some NATO officials view the war as an opportunity to either force regime change in Russia or seriously weaken that country militarily.

Defence Watch

by Wolverine Wed 29 Jun 2022, 7:25 pm

Canada to lead upgraded NATO combat force in Latvia

Published June 29, 2022

CTV News

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