Ukraine desperately needs surplus Canadian armour, ambassador tells MPs
Murray Brewster | CBC News | Posted: September 18, 2024 8:00 AM | Last Updated: September 18
A plan to refurbish retired armour for Ukraine is stuck in bureaucratic limbo
Ukraine's ambassador to Canada says her country is in dire need of armoured vehicles and hopes Canada's plan to supply rebuilt troop carriers proceeds quickly.
Yuliya Kovaliv appeared Tuesday before the House of Commons defence committee, where she fielded a series of questions about Canadian military support for Ukraine's defence in its war with Russia.
Earlier this week, CBC News reported on a Department of National Defence (DND) plan to rebuild and modernize two dozen decommissioned Canadian light armoured vehicles for donation to Ukraine.
The plan is stuck in bureaucratic limbo more than nine months after DND handed the vehicles over to an Ontario company that specializes in restoration.
"There is an urgent need for the armoured vehicles, those who are newly produced and those that could be refurbished," Kovaliv told the committee.
She said the work of rebuilding old armoured vehicles "could be expedited" to help bolster Ukrainian forces.
"We value the decision of DND to support this project," she said, adding Ukraine is "looking forward" to the Canadian Commercial Credit Corporation (CCC), an arm of the federal government, concluding a contract.
Negotiations between Armatec Survivability in Dorchester, Ont., and CCC have been ongoing for months with no conclusion.
Discussion about the holdup comes several days after Canada announced it would send Ukraine almost 100 retired armoured vehicle chassis, which can only be used for spare parts.
Last year, DND acknowledged it has 195 LAV II Bisons and 149 Coyote armoured reconnaissance vehicles that are in the process of being taken out of service.
The United States has been watching the Canadian project with interest because Armatec's restoration techniques might open up access for Ukraine to thousands of retired American military armoured vehicles.
In an interview with CBC News, Defence Minister Bill Blair declined to identify the obstacles that are preventing the deal with Armatec from going forward, citing the confidentiality of contract talks.
Karl Pfister, president and CEO of Armatec, also said he couldn't discuss the unresolved issues but added the company is using a revolutionary — but proven — restoration process.
He said his engineers have literally taken armoured vehicles off the scrap heap and rebuilt them to standards of safety and armament that are higher than those for the original vehicle.
Appearing before the committee Tuesday, Maj-Gen. Greg Smith, the director general of international security policy at DND, defended the delivery process on several projects, including the deal with Armatec.
"We're continuing to work that as quickly as possible," Smith told the four-party committee.
Separately, Kovaliv was asked about Canada's promise to deliver an urgently-needed National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) to Ukraine.
She said her government has been assured that it will arrive in early 2025, two years after it was first pledged.
Kovaliv said just as important as the air defence system are the missiles used to shoot down Russian missiles and drones, and she called on Canada to ensure an adequate supply.