MOSCOW, April 29. /TASS/. Despite statements to the contrary, Canada is in fact training members of Ukraine's Azov brigade (recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia - TASS), Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters.

According to the diplomat, on April 15, Canadian journalist David Pugliese published an article stating that, between January 13 and February 5, a fighter from the Azov brigade had undergone training at the Royal Military College of Saint-Jean. "As it turned out, the army leadership was already aware of the fighter’s affiliation with a Nazi unit. How is that possible? After all, Canadians condemn all forms of Nazism, don’t they? In response, Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty stated that the armed forces’ mandate never included training Azov fighters. A Defense Ministry spokesperson added that the Ukrainians were explicitly instructed not to send Azov fighters to Canada for training," Zakharova noted.

At the same time, the diplomat emphasized that the Ukrainian fighter was ultimately issued a certificate even though he failed the required tests. "Once again, as in previous years, they promised that the Ukrainians would no longer send Azov fighters to Canada and that the Canadians would not train them," she noted.