From drones to tanks and confiscated plane: Aid Canada provided to Ukraine
Archive photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Justin Trudeau (Getty Images)
Canada began providing military support to Ukraine after the full-scale Russian invasion. Since then, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have received drones, anti-tank grenade launchers, and howitzers. Besides, Ottawa provides Kyiv with humanitarian and energy assistance.
Sources: statements by former and current Canadian officials, the Canadian Ministry of Defense, and Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada Yuliya Kovaliv.
Contents:
Arms deliveries
Canada started transferring weapons before the full-scale invasion of Russia. It was small arms and night vision devices. After a week of active fighting in 2022, former Canadian Minister of National Defense Anita Anand announced the transfer of a batch of M72 LAW anti-tank grenade launchers to Ukraine. Later, Ukraine received the first battery of 155 mm M777 howitzers from Canada.
In April 2022, Canada announced the delivery of 8 Roshel Senator armored vehicles and Carl Gustaf ATGMs to Ukraine. Then Kyiv received 39 armored Canadian LAV III Kodia armored support vehicles.
In 2023, Canada announced the delivery of 200 Roshel Senator armored vehicles, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the delivery of eight Leopard 2 tanks.
The country has also decided to send 50 armored vehicles and special cars for the evacuation of the wounded to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In addition, Canadian instructors will train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets. In April, it became known that Ukraine would receive 450 SkyRanger multi-purpose drones, as announced by the Canadian Ministry of Defense.
In total, Canada has spent about $2 billion to help Ukraine, and a multi-year aid plan worth $1.6 billion is being prepared.
Energy and humanitarian support
Canada is helping Ukraine to restore power grids damaged by Russian shelling. In December 2022, the country provided $85 million in energy aid and handed over 50 lighting towers to Kyiv, which were useful for repairing power grids.
Trudeau also said that his country had allocated almost $152 million for humanitarian aid. The money was spent on food, housing, and medical care for Ukrainians affected by the war.
Recently, Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada Yuliya Kovaliv said that Canada was preparing a comprehensive package of financial support, which is included in the country's state draft budget for 2024. The money will be used for demining Ukraine, a project to restore it, and budget support.
Photo: airplane (Getty Images)
Also in the summer of 2023, Trudeau said that Canada would give Ukraine the AN-124 cargo plane confiscated from Russia.
