Ukraine can use Canadian tanks and missiles in its ongoing special military operation on Russia soil, Ottawa said.
Canada places no geographic restrictions on the use of military equipment it has donated and continues to donate to Ukraine, Andrée-Anne Poulin, Canadian defense department spokesperson, told POLITICO in an email on Friday.
“Ukrainians know best how to defend their homeland, and we’re committed to supporting their capacity,” Poulin added. “Canada steadfastly supports Ukraine’s right to defend itself against Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable war — and that is why we have committed over $4 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.”
Ukrainian forces have been slowly advancing in Russia’s Kursk region, where they control more than 1,000 square kilometers of territory, Kyiv said. The surprise attack — which has now lasted a week and a half — is a setback for the Kremlin, with some Russian units redeployed from the front lines in Ukraine to shore up defenses at home, Kyiv’s military said.
According to Poulin, Canada will continue to work with the Ukrainian armed forces to provide the equipment they need.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion Canada has committed $4.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, pledging to keep aid coming through to 2029.
So far, Canada has sent $33 million worth of air defense equipment, including air defense missiles AMRAAMS, AIM-9, AIM-7 and 40,000 rounds of ammunition delivered in 2023. Canada also contributed $53 million to Czechia’s initiative to purchase several thousand rounds of artillery ammunition for Ukraine.
Canada has also donated M-777 howitzers, eight Leopard tanks, 200 additional Senator commercial pattern armored vehicles and 4,200 M72A5-C1 rocket launchers.
Germany also previously said it sees no problem with Ukraine using its weapons on Russian territory.
“Our military aid for Ukraine is the best investment in our security. It reduces Russian threat potential every day. It prevents Ukrainian civilians from becoming refugees,” said Marcus Faber, the head of the German Bundestag’s defense committee.
Earlier this week Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operation in Kursk sought to defend Ukrainian frontier regions against continuous Russian cross-border shelling, replenish the POW exchange fund, and bring the war to Russian land.
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