Canada to send ammunition, missiles to support Ukraine’s air defense

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada will send about 8,000 rounds of artillery ammunition and a dozen air defense missiles as part of Ottawa’s latest military aide to Kyiv, the Canadian defense ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Canada will also provide Ukraine with more than 1,800 rounds of training ammunition for Leopard 1 battle tanks donated by Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government, one of Ukraine’s most vocal international supporters, has committed over C$1 billion ($730 million) in military aid to Kyiv since the start of the Russian invasion last year.

Canada has already announced it is donating eight Leopard 2 main battle tanks, which are expected to be in Ukraine in the coming weeks, the ministry said.

($1 = 1.3755 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by David Ljunggren and Sandra Maler)