Canada will deploy up to 150 military personnel to Poland to support Ukrainians fleeing Russia's war and address a growing refugee crisis, Defense Minister Anita Anand said on Thursday.
Most of those military personnel will assist with the immediate care and processing of Ukrainian refugees at reception centers across Poland, Anand said.
"Our people will provide general support, spiritual services and limited medical care enabled by Ukrainian-speaking Canadian Armed Forces personnel," Anand told reporters.
More than half of the over 4.5 million who have left since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion have gone to neighboring Poland.
The Canadian Armed Forces members would also support a Polish led task force for humanitarian assistance, and help resettle Ukrainians in Canada.
Canada has implemented a special scheme for Ukrainians and their families to apply for a temporary resident visa. It had approved over 30,000 applications for temporary stay as of April 6, according to official figures.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Alistair Bell)
