Canadian troops in Ukraine relocated west of Dnieper river for safety reasons: Minister

Canada has relocated its troops stationed in Ukraine west of the Dnieper river over safety concerns as tensions with Russia increase, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Sunday.

"It's generally well-known to be the case that there is Russian aggression at the Ukrainian border and in Belarus, and we are acting accordingly. Our CAF, for example, have moved west of the Dnieper River, and we will continued to take precautions necessary to keep our Canadian armed forces safe and secure," Anand was quoted as saying at a press conference in Kiev by the Globe and Mail newspaper.

At the same time, the minister refused to comment on why the decision was taken and any other details concerning the move.

"In terms of the movements of our troops, it is important, and indeed imperative for their security for me to keep that information confidential," she added.

Canada's Operation Unifier, with headquarters near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv hundreds miles from the Russian border, was launched in 2015 to support Ukrainian armed forces. The 200-soldier Canadian training mission is expected to be expanded by another 60 soldiers in the coming weeks.

In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of massing troops near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for invasion. Russia said that it has no intention of invading Ukraine, while stressing that it has the right to move its forces within its own territory.

In turn, Russia has expressed concerns over NATO's activity near its borders and the ongoing military support of Ukraine, including an increase in the number of Western instructors in the breakaway Donbas region. (ANI/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )