MONTREAL - Taxpayers are paying $250,000 an hour for deployment of CF-18 jets to eastern Europe amid the Ukraine crisis, QMI Agency has learned. National Defence documents show the hourly bill jumps to more than $370,000 for a frigate, helicopter and pair of cargo planes for an operation one former diplomat says is "playing with fire."

The cited costs are for operation of machinery and do not include living expenses for crews and 220 troops deployed in neighbouring Romania, nor direct economic support to Ukraine.

Each CF-18 consumes more than 4,400 litres of fuel per hour, and requires maintenance and engineering costing more than $17,000 per hour.

The CF-18s, which date back to the 1980s, are unarmed and provide what's being called a "visible presence" near Ukraine.

Canada has also reassigned its frigate HMCS Regina, which had been conducting anti-terror operations. The ship, with more than 200 crew, costs about $290,000 for each day at sea.

Canada's Chief of Defence Staff, Tom Lawson, said Canadian troops should expect to stay in Europe for "30 to 60 days," after which time Canada would be willing to consider further deployments in collaboration with NATO.

James Bissett, who represented Canada in several eastern European countries during the Cold War, issued a rare criticism this week when he told QMI Agency that Canada and NATO are "playing a very dangerous game" in taking on Russia.

"NATO says it wants to protect its members and not provoke Russia by sending troops," said Bissett, who served Canada for nearly 40 years.

"Do you not think Russia feels provoked? I'll ask this question: If Russia sent troops near the U.S. border, would the United States feel threatened? Sure they would."

Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed the disputed Crimea region between Russia and Ukraine in March. Dozens have been killed in fighting.

Canada has since become one of Ukraine's most vocal advocates.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week blasted "the Putin regime's persistent military presence and illegal occupation of Crimea and other parts of the Ukraine, which threatens the civility and security of eastern and central Europe."

Canada has also promised $220 million in funding aimed at stabilizing Ukraine's economy, and will send more than 300 Canadian observers to Ukraine for the presidential election at the end of the month, at a cost of $11 million.

The Canadian military presence is part of a NATO initiative to offer reassurance to Ukraine's neighbours in Poland, Romania and elsewhere.

NATO says it wants to remain in the region until the end of the year, said U.S. General Philip Breedlove, NATO's supreme allied commander in Europe.

He has even said NATO would consider a permanent deployment of troops in eastern Europe.

Bissett predicts the crisis will be resolved peacefully but adds "we're playing with fire in front of a nuclear power" that tested missiles just this week.

Bissett was also concerned about the presence of NATO warships in the Black Sea.

"The political leaders of the current generation have never experienced a major war and don't seem to realize the risks," the former diplomat said.

"In the 21st century, we have already learned that you can't resolve conflicts by force. It's resolved by discourse. I'm not anti-military or naive. But I think that Canada has taken sides too quickly in the conflict instead of understanding the divisions in Ukraine and supporting dialogue."