Training to Resist: How Canadian Instruction Is Saving Lives in Ukraine
June 18, 2025 - Defence Stories
Estimated read time – 1:00
By Captain Frédéric Thouin, Public Affairs Officer
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Sergeant MacAulay shares his expertise with Artem. Together, they ensure the transfer of essential skills to train the next generation of medical technicians: a human and professional exchange at the heart of Operation UNIFIER.
Poland, 2025 – In a quiet corner of a training camp in Poland, a symbolic scene is unfolding: a Ukrainian soldier, recently returned from the front lines, is learning how to become an instructor. His teacher? A Canadian sergeant (Sgt), also back for a second deployment. Together, they embody the very essence of Operation UNIFIER: to teach, to learn, and to save lives.
Sgt Matthew MacAulay, a reservist with 33 Field Ambulance, has been deployed since February with the Medical Training Element. His mission: to train experienced Ukrainian combat medics so they can become instructors themselves. Among them is a soldier we’ll call Artem, originally from Odessa (modified name).
Artem joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2022, determined to defend his country following Russia’s large-scale illegal invasion. He first received medical training from Canadian troops, then returned to the front for two years, where he applied those skills to save lives. Now, he’s back, not as a student, but as a future instructor.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see a former trainee return to become an instructor,” says Sgt MacAulay. “It shows that our training has a real and lasting impact.”
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Sergeant MacAulay demonstrates medical procedures on a training mannequin for Ukrainian soldiers. Through hands-on instruction, he helps build the confidence and skills needed to save lives on the battlefield: a powerful example of the practical impact of Operation UNIFIER.
Artem, for his part, speaks enthusiastically about the quality of Canadian instruction. He highlights the excellence of the instructors, their positive attitude, and the camaraderie that exists between the two nations. “It’s easier to learn in an optimistic environment,” he says. And “what I learned here helped me save lives.”
The medical training program, led by Poland and supported by the Canadian Armed Forces since March 2023, focuses on advanced tactical medical skills and combat survivability. Canadian instructors like Sgt MacAulay also learn from their Ukrainian counterparts, who share their frontline experiences.
“It’s a mutual exchange,” the sergeant explains. “We learn from their lived experiences and their realities. It’s a valuable collaboration.”
The story of Artem and Sgt MacAulay illustrates the strength of this partnership. Two journeys, two nations, one shared goal: to strengthen the medical capabilities of Ukrainian soldiers so they can continue defending their country.