Canadian troops on defensive posture near Russian border
The gist
Canada's NATO brigade in Latvia deployed east for a multi-day exercise near the Russian and Belarusian borders.
The move shifts Canada's force from deterrence toward a ready-to-defend posture.
How it unfolded
- Nov 15, 2024More than 3,000 troops spent two weeks at the Adazi base in a Canadian-led NATO exercise simulating an attack on Latvia from beyond its border with Russia.
- May 15, 2026The Canada-led brigade's commander, Col. Kris Reeves, said the force had moved beyond its original "tripwire" deterrence posture toward a credible defense of Latvia.
- Jul 2026At the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the extension of Operation REASSURANCE in Latvia and plans to shoulder more responsibility against "the threats that we face" from Russia.