About 90 soldiers took off from Edmonton International Airport on Friday morning on a training mission with the Ukrainian army.

The major said: "They are training new recruits, they volunteered for service, and they volunteered to defend their country, and we will train them on basic soldiering skills, so handling basic weapons, combat, basic first aid, very low-level tactics, some laws of armed conflict, awareness of explosive hazards, and things that will help them live and survive on the battlefield when they return to defend their land."

The soldiers are participating in Operation Unifier, which originally launched in 2015 to provide training for Ukrainian soldiers after the annexation of Crimea.

The program was temporarily halted shortly before the war in Ukraine broke out earlier this year, but Defense Minister Anita Anand announced last week that it would be resumed.

Anand said in a virtual press conference last week: "Training missions like this, and helping our allies and partners when they are under attack, is what we do and this is our duty."

"And it is one of our priorities as a country to stand side by side with Ukraine and with our allies."

Previously, soldiers traveled to Ukraine for training, but now they will be stationed outside England.

Upon arrival, the Canadians will join partners from Britain, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.

Malith said: "If the conditions suit us to stay, that is a call for the government and the army." Another 100 soldiers are expected to depart from Edmonton on Monday.