NewsCanada commits to Ukraine's defense with 800 drones worth over 90 million CAD

Canada commits to Ukraine's defense with 800 drones worth over 90 million CAD

Ukrainian drone operators. Illustrative photo.
Ukrainian drone operators. Illustrative photo.
Images source: © Licensor | Ukrinform / Future Publishing

6:05 AM EST, February 20, 2024

On Monday, Bill Blair, the Canadian Minister of National Defense, announced that his country would provide Ukraine with 800 drones, as the Turkish Agency Anadolu reported. The eagerly awaited unmanned aerial vehicle, the SkyRanger R70s, is set to assist Ukrainian soldiers during their surveillance missions.

"These drones will help Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines quickly target and assess threats with high accuracy and effectiveness," stated Blair during a press conference in Toronto. "Canada will stand with Ukraine for as long as necessary," the politician added.

The value of the drones scheduled for delivery to Ukraine is around 95 million Canadian dollars (approximately 70 million USD). This forms part of an aid package for Kyiv worth 500 million Canadian dollars (close to 370 million USD), announced earlier this year by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Bill Blair stated, "The only answer to a tyrant like Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, is strength and resilience. We won't forget about Ukraine. We won't abandon Ukraine until it secures victory in this war." The Minister of Defense's comments were quoted by the Turkish agency Anadolu.

The delivery of the 800 units of the Canadian SkyRanger R70 drones to Kyiv is expected at the beginning of April.

Source: Anadolu

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