Manitoba sends ambulances to Ukraine to help victims of crisis

Manitoba is sending ambulances to Ukraine to serve civilians embroiled in regional conflicts.

Three emergency medical service vehicles headed overseas were unveiled by Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger at a news conference outside the legislative building Monday.

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"Manitobans have a special bond with the people of Ukraine, and we stand with them during this crisis and in their time of need," Selinger said in a statement.

The donation is part of Ambulances for Ukraine, a humanitarian project aimed at helping those affected by ongoing violence and civil unrest in the country.

"The ambulance project is a practical way Canadians, and in particular, the Ukrainian Canadian community, can help," Selinger said.

John Holuk, the project manager with Ambulances for Ukraine, said the move to send emergency medical vehicles to the area followed calls on the international community to provide care for victims of violence in eastern Ukraine.

"The second phase will expand the focus to meet the needs highlighted by the United Nations and World Health Organization, where the continuing conflict has deprived many communities [of] access to basic medical care," Holuk, who is also a member of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Ukraine Appeal, said in a statement.

Saskatchewan and Alberta have already donated ambulances.

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Selinger said both provinces previously sent ambulances that have been used for more than 100 emergency trips.