Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his government are remaining tight-lipped about Canada sending heavy artillery to Ukraine, citing 鈥渙perational security.鈥�

Trudeau mentioned during a media availability on Tuesday that Canada would be sending heavy artillery to Ukraine, saying it was a direct request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He offered no further cost or specific equipment details at the time. When pressed again on Wednesday, the prime minister had little else to say.

鈥淔or reasons of operational security, I can't go into the details at this point on how and what we're getting to them exactly. But I can assure you we will have more to say in the coming days,鈥� Trudeau told reporters.

He then said he hoped to share more about what 鈥渋s being sent鈥� and 鈥渨hat was sent鈥� soon.

鈥淚 can reassure Canadians that we are directly responding to the top requests that the Ukrainians have given for assistance in this current phase of the war鈥� and therefore there's very specific equipment that Ukrainians need and Canadians can be comfortable that their government is there to support Ukrainians with what they need.鈥�

He also would not specify where the further military gear would be coming from, whether from an existing stockpile or as a result of a new procurement. Trudeau said that as Canada continues to aid Ukraine, ensuring the Canadian Armed Forces is adequately equipped is a consideration.

Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko 鈥渉eavy weapons and military aid鈥� were set to arrive that day from the U.S., Canada, and other allied countries.

Asked about this, Trudeau said in the context of the war, information around delivering military equipment is 鈥渟omething that we have to be a little bit careful about.鈥�

In a later interview on 麻豆传媒 Channel鈥檚 Power Play, Vasylenko said she didn鈥檛 have any additional information to add from what was public, suggesting the information was confidential.

鈥淏ut, I can tell you for sure that the list that Ukrainian government officials have been asking of many different governments and many different allied states to help Ukraine with, it鈥檚 a uniform list of the same kind of requests that have we have been putting in day in and day out,鈥� she said.

The government has broadly promised to continue sending lethal and non-lethal aid, in addition to sending money and offering humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including earmarking $500 million in the 2022 federal budget for further military aid. 

Defence Minister Anita Anand's office also declined to offer further detail on Wednesday, and instead pointed back to past military aid Canada has sent.

鈥淢ore details will be available in the coming days. We have no further information to provide at the current time,鈥� said Anand鈥檚 press secretary Daniel Minden in an email to 麻豆传媒.

___

Get in touch

Do you have any questions about the attack on Ukraine? Email dotcom@bellmedia.ca.

  • Please include your name, location, and contact information if you are willing to speak to a journalist with 麻豆传媒.
  • Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.