Enabling Victory: Canadian Military Support To Ukraine

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans

Like so many NATO member countries Canada has contributed significantly to Ukraine's defensive capabilities after the Russian invasion of the country in February 2022. This aid has so far included eight Leopard 2A4 MBTs, 39 brand-new Armoured Combat Support Vehicles, 208 Roshel Senator infantry mobility vehicles (IMVs), four M777 towed howitzers and 4600 anti-tank weapons. Canada was also the first nation to supply Ukraine with guided artillery rounds, with an unknown number of M982 Excalibur GPS-guided shells being sent for use with Western-supplied 155mm howitzers.

The decision to supply Ukraine with brand-new armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) is a notable deviation from most other countries that have supplied Ukraine with heavy weaponry. Canada delivered 39 LAV 6.0 Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs) throughout late 2022. Although the ACSV is produced in several different versions, it is likely that Ukraine will be the recipient of the APC variant. An earlier attempt to provide Ukraine with 25 Piranha APCs (on which the LAV/ACSV is based) fell through after Switzerland vetoed Denmark's request to deliver them. [1]

Another overlooked area of support is Canada's donation of a significant number of Wescam MX-15D forward-looking infrared (FLIR) turrets for Ukraine's Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). The decision to donate Wescam MX-15Ds to Ukraine for use on Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2s is perhaps ironic as Türkiye is currently sanctioned for the supply of MX-15D-equipped TB2s to Azerbaijan. Despite the implementation of sanctions against Türkiye, Canada has also had its own fundraising campaign to purchase a TB2 on behalf of Ukraine. [2]

What the future holds for further Canadian military aid to Ukraine is as of yet uncertain. A steady supply of TB2 UCAVs delivered to Ukraine could see Canada donating more Wescam MX-15D FLIR turrets, while the country's established AFV industry also allows Canada to deliver types like the ACSV and Roshel Senator without having to compromise on its own military capabilities. Canada also maintains stocks of upgraded M113 APCs that could one day be transferred to Ukraine. With the conflict marking what might well turn out to be a turning point, and the cumulative weight of allied donations showing its mark on the battlefield, Canada is sure to find other ways to keep supporting an increasingly resilient Ukraine.

A Roshel Senator IMV, 208 of which were donated to Ukraine by Canada.

The following list attempts to keep track of military equipment delivered or pledged to Ukraine by Canada shortly prior to and during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. This list is mostly based on information released by the Government of Canada. [3] The entries below are sorted by armament category (with a flag denoting the country of origin). This list will be updated as further military support is declared.

(Click on the vehicle or equipment type to get a picture of them)