Canadian officer Melanie Lake honoured by the Ukrainian Armed Forces

Anastasiya Ringis.

Lieutenant Colonel Melanie Lake of the Canadian Armed Forces, Joint Task Force Commander of Operation UNIFIER in Ukraine from March to October 2021, has been awarded a letter of appreciation from the Ukrainian Armed Forces for her personal contribution to the training of Ukrainian defenders.

Colonel Mykola Zhuravliov of the Ukrainian Armed Forces presented Melanie Lake the award on behalf of Major General Dmytro Krasylnikov, Commander of Operational Command “North”, during a public discussion “Reflections on Canada’s Support for Ukraine” in Toronto.

LCol Melanie Lake served in Ukraine from March to October 2021, leading the Canadian military mission UNIFIER, which trained over 45,000 Ukrainian soldiers between 2015 and 2025. She was one of only a few women to command Operation UNIFIER, and continues to actively support Ukraine. For her service, she received several honors from the Ukrainian military. These include a Commendation (Breast Plate) from the Minister of Defence of Ukraine at the time, Andrii Taran, as well as a Commendation (Breast Plate) from the National Army Academy, which was presented to her by Commandant General Tkachuk. She was also awarded a Commendation (Breast Plate) from the National Guard of Ukraine, presented by General Balan, and received a Medal from the National Guard of Ukraine. In addition, she was awarded a participant medal for the 30th anniversary parade of Ukraine’s Independence, which was given to all those who marched in the parade. She also received certificates of appreciation from both the Land Force Training Command and the National Guard of Ukraine.

Alongside the official award from the Ukrainian military command, Mykola Zhuravliov also presented Melanie Lake with a Ukrainian flag raised by him personally on Mount Kazbek in Georgia in 2024. This flag symbolizes the unity of Ukrainians and Canadians in their struggle for freedom and their gratitude to allies.

The event also featured remarks from former Canadian Defence Minister, the Honourable Bill Blair, who emphasized that the war in Ukraine has become a catalyst for change not only within NATO, but also in Canada’s own defence sector. According to Blair, Canada must not only continue supporting Ukraine, but also invest in building a resilient national defence ecosystem.

Melanie Lake with former Minister of Defence Bill Blair

The discussion, organized by the NATO Association of Canada, brought together military personnel, diplomats, and security experts.

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