Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada will send soldiers to Poland to take part in NATO exercises amid growing concerns about Russian aggression toward Ukraine.
Harper made the announcement during a press conference in London, Ont., on Friday.
Approximately 50 troops from the 3rd Canadian Division based in Edmonton will depart Friday to take part in Exercise Orzel Alert in Swidwin, Poland, next week.
The soldiers will "conduct training in parachuting, airborne operations and infantry skills alongside Polish and American counterparts in this United States-led exercise with a view to enhancing Alliance interoperability and readiness," according to a release from the PMO on Friday.
The move comes just days after six CF-18 fighter jets left Canada to join a NATO mission in Romania and the Department of National Defence announced that the warship HMCS Regina would be redeployed to a NATO group as part of a Ukraine "reassurance mission."
The government also said this week that a Canadian military officer is heading an international arms-control verification team investigating "unusual military activity" in Ukraine, but the inspections won't include the disputed Crimea region, which was annexed by Russia.