Canada moved on Sunday its military troops in western Ukraine and announced the temporary repatriation of non-essential employees of its embassy in Kyiv, due to tensions at the Russian-Ukrainian border.

“Our Canadian Armed Forces have moved west of the Dnieper River and we will continue taking all the precautions necessary to guarantee their safety,” Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand said on her arrival in Ukraine on Sunday.

The Minister gave an update on the tense situation between Ukraine and Russia at a press conference in Kyiv, after meeting the leaders of the Canadian military operation Unifier, which provides support to the Ukrainian security forces.

“The intelligence we use agrees with that of our NATO allieson the fact – widely known – that there is Russian aggression on the Ukrainian border in Belarus,” Anand said, once again warning Russia that it will face “severe sanctions and consequences” if there is no de-escalation of tensions.

‘Conflict is preventable,’ US urges Russia over conflict with Ukraine

Canada currently has 900 military “at sea, on land and in the air” who support the NATO mission in this context of political instability in Eastern Europe.

Russia has deployed more than 100,000 troops and heavy weapons near its border with Ukraineaccording to Western countries, which fear an invasion.

What are Russia’s real intentions in Ukraine?

Also on Sunday, Ottawa announced the repatriation of diplomats non-essential who work in your embassy in Ukraine, a few days after deporting their relatives. (YO)