Canada has given Ukraine the green light to deploy Canadian-supplied military equipment, including tanks and armored vehicles, on Russian territory, according to a statement from the Canadian Department of Defense on August 15.
“Ukrainians know best how to defend their homeland, and we want to support their ability to do so,” said André-Anne Poulin, a spokesman for the Canadian Department of Defense, according to CBC.
Poulin emphasized: “Canada is not subject to any geographical restrictions on the use of the military equipment we transfer to Ukraine.”
The statement comes after Ukraine reportedly began operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. While it is unclear whether Canadian weapons were used in the operation, CNN footage showed a Canadian Senator patrol vehicle crossing the border into Russia on Thursday.
Canada has supplied Ukraine with eight Leopard 2A4 tanks, dozens of armoured combat support vehicles, hundreds of armoured patrol vehicles and several M-777 howitzers.
Poulin said Canadian assistance is always consistent with the Arms Trade Treaty, an international agreement aimed at reducing illegal arms shipments and human rights abuses.
This stance is consistent with that of the UK, which has also confirmed that Ukrainian forces are allowed to use British weapons on Russian territory for self-defence – with one exception. Sky News reports that Ukrainian troops likely used British Challenger 2 tanks in their advance into Kursk Oblast.
The Canadian government’s stance underscores its commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defence capabilities without imposing restrictions on where the equipment can be deployed.
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