Canada to donate over 800 drones to Ukraine for defense
PHOTO CAPTION: A Ukrainian serviceman controls a Leleka reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine February 15, 2024. REUTERS/Stringer
(Reuters) - Canada will donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 multi-mission Unmanned Aerial Systems to Ukraine to help in its war with Russia, Canada's Defence Minister Bill Blair said on Monday.
The drones, sourced from Teledyne in Waterloo, Ontario, have been valued at over C$95 million ($70.44 million), the ministry said, adding that the donation was funded by the C$500 million in military assistance announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a Kyiv visit last year.
"Today's announcement ensures that Ukraine has the drones it needs to detect and identify targets which are critical to Ukraine's ongoing fight. Canada will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes," Blair said.
Since February 2022, Canada had committed over C$9.7 billion in aid to Ukraine, including over C$2.4 billion in military assistance, the country's defence ministry said in a statement.
Most recently, during a meeting with NATO allies in Brussels on Feb. 14, Blair said that Canada will donate over C$60 million to Ukraine.
($1 = 1.3487 Canadian dollars)
(Reporting by Chandni Shah in Bengaluru and Steve Scherer, Editing by Nick Zieminski)
