Canadian donated vehicles face off-road breakdowns and repairs in Ukraine, commander says

Ukrainian troops are learning that some of their Canadian-donated vehicles have limited usefulness close to the frontlines, a military official in the eastern part of that embattled country told CBC News.

In a recent interview near the embattled city of Kharkiv, Yuriy Fedorenko, commander of the Achilles drone unit in the Ukrainian 92nd Brigade, said the Roshel-manufactured Senator armoured cars in his unit have broken down frequently.

"It is not designed to drive off-road," Fedorenko said, adding the vehicles seem better suited to law enforcement than combat.

"This is an option for the police, for the protection of public order, but it fulfils its task. It saves people. When there is no alternative, it is what we need."

The Ukrainians have been driving the vehicles hard. The Senators, which look like SUVs on steroids, suffer broken springs when off-roading.

"This is more an option to go on asphalt," Fedorenko said. "It fails quite often."

He said Ukrainian vehicle technicians have managed to repair the Senators and keep them on the road.

Canada has donated 208 Senator vehicles to the Ukrainian military since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. 

Andrée-Anne Poulin, a spokesperson for the Department of National Defence (DND), said the Ukrainian military has not expressed concerns about the armoured cars but acknowledged their utility near the frontlines is limited. Poulin said there were already several Senators in Ukraine's inventory before Canada donated more of the vehicles.

"The Roshel Senator vehicles were specifically requested by the Government of Ukraine," said Poulin in a statement issued to CBC News.

Vehicles not built for combat, DND says

She described the Senators as "security task vehicles" that are easily manoeuvrable and adaptable and carry state-of-the-art technology and weapons.

"Although these armoured vehicles are not meant for front-line combat, they enable the safe transport of personnel and equipment, and medical evacuations," she said. "The vehicles' armour helps to shield troops when they are unable to avoid danger."

Roshel, the manufacturer, said in a separate statement that it has been working closely and collaboratively with the Ukrainian military.

"The conditions of a battleground are often severe. Roshel vehicles are designed and built to withstand these conditions," said the unsigned statement from the company, which is based in Brampton, Ont.

"Our team has been on the ground from the first day of the war, recording and addressing any issues to ensure continuous improvement. This proactive approach has enabled continuous enhancements to critical vehicle components, such as axles and suspension systems, optimizing their performance across a variety of challenging terrains."

Roshel has built over 1,200 vehicles that are now in service in Ukraine. Many of them were donated by European countries over and above Canada's contribution.

"We are committed to ensuring that if challenges related to the durability of equipment arise, we immediately and continually improve our products to address those concerns and better support the men and women who put their lives on the line every day," the company said.

Defence analyst Richard Shimooka of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute said he's not surprised off-road reliability issues have arisen because the vehicle is relatively new and it's getting a real baptism of fire in Ukraine.

WATCH: G7 leaders commit to $50B loan for Ukraine   

G7 leaders commit to lending Ukraine $50B US from seized Russian assets

6 months ago

Duration 1:59

Canada has agreed to contribute $5 billion US to a $50 billion US loan to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The U.S.-led plan involves using the interest generated from roughly 200 billion euros (about $215 billion US) in frozen Russian assets.

He pointed to the initial assessments of the U.S.-manufactured Humvee (HMMWV) 40 years ago. The patrol vehicles got less than glowing reviews at the time, but went on to become key equipment for coalition forces during the war in Iraq.

Throughout the Ukraine war, the government in Kyiv has pleaded with Canada for more heavily armoured vehicles suitable for combat.

"Clearly [the Senator] wasn't intended to fully operate in, or around, the front line," Shimooka said, "but it's being pressed into that role for the lack of better options."

He said it's certainly a better option than the unarmoured HMMWV.

"Personally, I think the government [of Canada] should have been more proactive in getting LAVs [light armoured vehicles] over — even delaying delivery of existing orders to Canada or other countries to prioritize Ukraine," Shimooka said.

Canada donated 39 brand-new armoured combat support vehicles to Ukraine and is in the process of buying and delivering 50 more.