A Canadian military spokesperson said a NATO exercise in eastern Latvia was intended to train in complex terrain, not set up permanent defensive positions along the Latvia–Russia border.
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A claim circulating on social media said a Canadian-led NATO exercise in Latvia was a prelude to war with Russia and that Canadian troops would establish permanent defensive positions along the Latvia–Russia border.
Asked about the allegation, a spokesperson for the Canadian military said the Resolute Reforger training exercise “was not intended to establish a permanent defensive position near the Latvia-Russia border.”
In emailed comments, Lt. Michaël Debled said the goal of the exercise, which ended Sunday, was to demonstrate the brigade’s ability to operate in complex terrain in eastern Latvia. He said it was “an opportunity to validate the brigade's ability to move, sustain, and co-ordinate forces in realistic operational environments.”
Debled said the brigade has maintained a “sustained and visible NATO presence in eastern Latvia” since April, describing that continuing presence as separate from the recent training exercise.
The spokesperson said the troop numbers cited in the claim were correct. Debled confirmed that approximately 2,000 military personnel and hundreds of vehicles were transported by road and rail from the Adazi and Ceri military bases to various locations across eastern Latvia between Oct. 26 and Nov. 8.
The Canadian Forces’ presence and the exercise are part of Operation Reassurance, a Canadian-led NATO mission aimed at deterring Russian aggression in eastern Europe. The Canadian government’s website says the Canadian Armed Forces has gradually built up its presence and expanded its role in Latvia since June 19, 2017.
According to the same government information, Canadian Forces are based at Camp Adazi with around 2,000 soldiers. The Canadians lead a multinational brigade that includes about 1,000 personnel from more than a dozen other NATO countries. The operation is described as the Canadian Forces’ largest overseas mission, involving the deployment of land troops, ships and air support.
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