Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier this week that Canada would send artillery to Ukraine in response to a request from President Vladimir Zelensky – marking a change in the nature of military aid Canada offers to the warring nation.
Although Trudeau did not say what type of artillery Canada plans to provide, he called the move a response to the changing state of the war as Russia concentrates its forces in eastern Ukraine.
“We have been in close contact with President Zelenski from the very beginning and we are very responsive to what they need most,” Trudeau said on Tuesday. “Their latest request from Canada is to help them with heavy artillery, because this is the phase of the war at the moment.”
What Canada has sent so far
Following Russia’s invasion, Canada largely sent light infantry weapons, such as missiles, hand grenades, and anti-armor weapons systems, to Ukrainians, weapons designed to be used by only one or two people over relatively short distances.
“The equipment we sent is quite basic,” said Dave Perry, a defense analyst at the Canadian Institute of Global Affairs.
The missiles and anti-tank weapons that Canada has supplied are essentially point-and-shoot weapons that require little training, Perry said.
These weapons typically range between 150 and 600 meters, depending on the model, said retired Lieutenant General Andrew Leslie, now a senior fellow at Bluesky Strategy Group.
Canada has sent 4,500 M-72 missile launchers to Ukraine. The weapon has a range of 150 to 200 meters “on a really good day,” Leslie said.
“It’s best to fire multiple bursts, so five or six people shoot one armored vehicle at a time,” he said, adding that they were unlikely to shoot down a modern tank.
Members of Canada’s 2nd Royal 22nd Regiment Battalion fire an 84-mm Carl Gustav recoilless rifle during attacks by a live fire platoon at a distance of 800 during the two-year Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise at Pendleton Marine Base Camp on July 10 (Combat Cmera). / OS Justin Spinello)
Canada has also sent 100 Carl Gustaf anti-tank systems to Ukraine. They have a range of between 400 and 600 meters, Leslie said.
Canada has also provided security features such as helmets and body armor.
What Canada needs to send
Compared to the weapons Canada has sent so far, the artillery will be “an order of magnitude larger,” Leslie said.
The United States recently announced an additional $ 800 million in military aid to Ukraine. President Joe Biden said the package would include artillery and ammunition.
Perry said the type of artillery that Canada donates will probably depend on what the United States sends.
“If the Americans intend to send weapons, provide 40,000 rounds of ammunition with them and provide training to the Ukrainian armed forces on how to use exactly these weapons, then it would make a lot of sense for us to send the same type of equipment,” he said.
Both Perry and Leslie said they suspected that Canada’s most likely option for Ukrainian military aid was the M777 howitzer, which fired a 155-mm projectile.
The M777 is operated by a team of eight to 10 soldiers, Leslie said, and can fire a projectile up to 30 kilometers with a high degree of accuracy.
One of the advantages of the M777 is that it is very mobile “for heavy short metal”, said Perry, and can be transported by helicopter or towed by truck.
Canada currently has 37 M777s, but it is unclear how many will be shipped to Ukraine.
What Ukraine still needs
Last week, President Zelenski called on social media for more weapons – including artillery. He also asked the Allies to supply armed vehicles, air defense systems and fighter jets.
“Freedom must be better armed than tyranny,” Zelenski said in a rare statement in English. “Western countries have everything to do it.
The Ukrainian embassy in Ottawa said that while the country is grateful that Canada has announced an additional $ 500 million in federal aid, its defenders need “heavy weapons” as soon as possible.
A Canadian LAV (light armored vehicle) arrives to escort a convoy to a forward operational base near Panjwai, Afghanistan at sunrise on November 26, 2006 (Bill Graveland / Canadian Press)
“Ukraine urgently needs heavy weapons to protect the lives of our citizens and to counter the Russian offensive,” the embassy said in a statement. “Immediate delivery of weapons is needed to support Ukrainian forces at the moment.”
Leslie said Canada could focus on Ukraine’s request for armored vehicles by sending 50 light armored vehicles known as LAVs.
“They have a remarkable gun and do a lot of useful work,” Leslie said. “And now Ukraine needs them more than we do.
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