Canada sending 4 tanks to Ukraine and deploying soldiers to train, defence minister says
CTV
Canada is sending four combat-ready battle tanks to Ukraine 'in the coming weeks,' Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Thursday. Anand said that Canada will also be deploying 'a number' of Canadian Armed Forces members to train Ukrainian soldiers with the skills they will need to operate this equipment.
Canada is sending four combat-ready battle tanks to Ukraine "in the coming weeks," Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Thursday.
As CTV News first reported, in addition to the initial four Leopard 2 tanks, Canada is considering sending more tanks at a later date.
Anand, announcing this latest shipment of military aid to Ukraine, said that Canada will also be deploying “a number” of Canadian Armed Forces members to train Ukrainian soldiers with the skills they will need to operate this equipment.
"These heavily armoured and highly protected vehicles provide soldiers with a tactical advantage on the battlefield, thanks to their excellent mobility, their firepower and there's their survivability," Anand said. "These tanks will allow Ukraine to liberate even more of its territory and defend its people from Russia's brutal invasion."
This comes after days of dodging questions about whether Canada would be joining other allied nations who have already responded to Ukraine's request for tanks.
On Wednesday, after increasing pressure, Germany and the United States announced they would be organizing the shipment of dozens of Leopard 2 tanks, The Associated Press has reported. And, after Poland called on the German government to permit other countries–such as Canada–who have purchased these German-made military vehicles to follow suit, Berlin greenlit their re-export.
Ahead of Anand's announcement, Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki called on Canada to join them.
