Canada’s Defence Minister Anita Anand visited Kyiv Wednesday, announcing a donation of 200 armoured personnel carriers to support the war effort. The minister says the vehicles were specifically requested by Ukraine’s government.
“Today I’m happy to confirm that Canada will donate another 200 Roshel Senator armoured personnel carriers to the armed forces of Ukraine,” Anand said.
Anand says the 200 Senator armoured personnel carriers made by Mississauga manufacturer Roshel will cost Canada $90M. This is the final part of a $500M military aid package announced by the Prime Minister in November.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress says the donation will be useful, “part of what you need to liberate territory is a mobile infantry and certainly these APCs although not strictly combat vehicles obviously help.”
Canada already donated eight APCs to Ukraine last May. Ukraine’s president posted a message of thanks to social media writing, “today the Ukrainian army need 200 senator APCs more than ever. Together we are moving towards victory.”
The announcement comes as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says Ukraine needs a significant increase in weapons at what he calls a pivotal moment in the war, saying more military aid is the only way to push Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
Ukraine expert and Royal Military College professor Lubomyr Luciuk says Canada’s previous donation of APCs have been used in operations near the front.
He says while the price tag is high and comes at a time when many Canadians are struggling financially, the donation is the right call because Ukrainians are in a fight for their lives.
“Literally not knowing when they go to bed whether they are going to wake up, because this fascist in the Kremlin is lobbing missiles at them,” Luciuk said.
Anand will be in Germany on Friday where the allies will discuss more aid for Ukraine including tanks.
