Canadian flag. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

A top Canadian Jewish group is asking Canada’s Department of National Defense to investigate its training of Ukrainian soldiers after revelations that a neo-Nazi group had infiltrated Ukraine’s military.

A study by the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University revealed that members of the Ukrainian military were involved with a far-right group called Centuria.

They were documented giving Nazi salutes, praising members of the SS, and pushing white nationalist ideas.

Some members of Centuria apparently claimed to have been trained by the Canadian military and participated in exercises with them.

The Canadian Armed Forces states that it does not investigate members of foreign militaries involved in joint training.

The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center has sent a letter to Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan and Acting Chief of the Defense Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre, calling for an investigation.

“It is unacceptable for our armed forces to be emboldening neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine, or any other country, through the provision of CAF training,” Monday’s letter said.

It asserted, “This is an issue fundamental to the purpose of Canada’s forces and to the respect we owe our veterans — who sacrificed so much to defeat fascism in Europe.”

“We urge the Department of National Defense to immediately launch an investigation into the evidence that has been revealed by the George Washington University study and to develop new policies and procedures to ensure that all foreign trainees receive some type of background check to eliminate the possibility of neo-Nazi or other extremist affiliation before receiving training from Canadian forces,” the letter added.