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Showing Original Post only (View all)Canadian-led battle group will deploy to Latvia, part of NATO move to deter Russia [View all]
Source: CBC (Canada)
By Murray Brewster, CBC News Posted: Jul 08, 2016 4:00 AM ET Last Updated: Jul 08, 2016 5:36 PM ET
Canada will send a battle group of soldiers to Latvia by early 2017 as part of a NATO plan to counter fears of Russian aggression in eastern Europe, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed Friday.
The roughly 450 Canadians will form the nucleus of a robust multi-national combat battalion, part of a brigade to provide credible deterrence against further Russian expansionism in the region.
That number could fluctuate depending upon negotiations with other allies who are expected to help fill out the ranks for an open-ended mission, which Canada's chief of defence staff says raises the stakes for any nation thinking of interfering in the Baltics.
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In addition, the Liberal government renewed a commitment to provide six CF-18 fighter jets for air policing duties over the Baltic states, a mission the air force last conducted in 2014.
The deployment of a navy frigate as part of NATO's standing task force something that was first ordered by the former Conservative government will continue as well.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cananda-nato-baltic-troops-1.3669952
Deploying troops and weapons? Well that's not very polite, eh!