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OTTAWA — The Harper government struck a provocative pose Thursday, telling Russia to “back off” in Ukraine, promising to campaign for NATO membership on behalf of another former Soviet republic and urging all allies to do more.

The military alliance agreed in a Brussels meeting to establish a series of six command centres and two regional headquarters deep inside eastern Europe, creating important hubs for training and the possible deployment of troops in a crisis.

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The defence ministers also said they will increase NATO’s rapid reaction force to 30,000 troops.

The increasing violence in eastern Ukraine and apparent buildup of Russian forces in the region was condemned by both Defence Minister Rob Nicholson in Brussels and Prime Minister Stephen Harper back home.

They should get the message we and other countries have been delivering, that they should back off their aggression against Ukraine

“Canada has responded strongly, as have many of our allies, but I think all of this indicates we need, if anything, more,” Harper said in Brampton, Ont. “We urge everybody to do more and have a forceful response, but obviously we will always work with our allies and our partners as we shape our response to those events.”