The military is moving troops out of Ukraine in one of the strongest signals yet that a Russian invasion is imminent.

The Defence Department says soldiers who have been in Ukraine as part of a training mission are being temporarily relocated to elsewhere in Europe.

The department won’t say where the soldiers have gone, nor how many of them have been moved for security reasons.

A statement from the department says the movement of troops out of Ukraine doesn’t signal the end of the training mission meant to bolster that country’s security forces.

Instead, the department says the move allows the military time to refocus efforts in the face of Russia’s “unwarranted aggression” against Ukraine.

Defence Minister Anita Anand says Canada remains committed to supporting the people of Ukraine and helping its security forces improve their capabilities.