OTTAWA –
Canada has sent a number of M777 howitzers and ammunition from the Canadian Armed Forces to Ukraine’s security forces, fulfilling the prime minister’s promise to send heavy artillery to the affected country.
In a press release Friday, the federal government said it had also provided a “significant number” of Carl Gustaf anti-armor munitions.
The towed howitzer M777 is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 30 kilometers, the Ministry of National Defense said.
This is the main artillery cannon of the Canadian army, firing 155-millimeter shells. Thirty-seven of the weapons were acquired by the United States.
The provided equipment is part of the inventory of the armed forces and will be replenished, the government said.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a list of equipment he said he needed to fight Russia, including 155-millimeter heavy artillery and ammunition.
A spokesman for Defense Minister Anita Anand declined to confirm further details on Friday, saying the Ukrainians had asked their allies to be careful about what information was shared.
The government does not say how many howitzers or ammunition have been provided to Ukraine, or how much it will cost to replace them.
The President of the Canadian Ukrainian Congress expressed gratitude for Canada’s continued support on Friday.
“Ukraine is defending Europe’s freedom from Russia’s genocidal war,” Alexandra Chichi said in a statement.
“We are grateful that Canada and its allies continue to provide the weapons and material resources that the brave Ukrainian armed forces need to defeat Russia.
The Liberal government has previously dived into the inventory of the Canadian Armed Forces to provide lethal assistance to the Ukrainian military.
However, unlike some of the weapons already donated to Ukraine, the M777 remains in use. In response to Russia’s attack, the government recently deployed an M777 unit to reinforce Canada’s NATO-led NATO battlegroup in Latvia.
Retired Lt. Gen. Andrew Leslie, who served as an artillery officer, said in an interview this week that weapons would be vulnerable to Russian attacks.
“The crews of the M777 are outdoors and they are being towed by light vehicles,” he said. “So they are very vulnerable to fighter jets attacking helicopters and to the relatively complex forces that the Russians have.
The federal government said on Friday it was finalizing contracts to purchase armored vehicles with a commercial model, which will be sent to Ukraine as soon as possible.
He is also negotiating a service contract for maintenance and repair of the already sent specialized drone cameras.
The government has set aside another $ 500 million in the recently released military aid budget for Ukraine after providing $ 118 million in equipment since January.
Earlier on Friday, Finance Minister Christia Freeland said Russia should be expelled from the G20 for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
This was a key topic of discussion during this week’s meetings of finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of Nations in Washington, DC
Freeland said Russia has no place on the table among countries trying to maintain prosperity as its illegal war in Ukraine strains the global economy.
But in comments during a closing press conference with Ukrainian counterpart and International Development Minister Harjit Sajan, Freeland hinted that the feeling was not unanimous.
China has challenged Russia’s removal from the group.
“You can’t be a poacher and a game at the same time,” Freeland said of why Russia should be expelled.
“You are not invading or trying to take over another country. Having violated this principle and continues to violate it with the ongoing war, it is impossible to talk about international cooperation, international efforts to cooperate with Russia.
Freeland, along with other allies, left the G20 when the Russian delegation asked to speak. She said Canada would not participate in any meeting involving Russia.
The invasion lasted nearly two months, killing thousands and forcing 5.1 million to flee Ukraine.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 22, 2022.
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