Canada Transferring 2,000 Disused CRV7 Rocket Motors to Ukraine

The Liberal government has announced plans to ship decommissioned CRV7 rocket motors to Ukraine.

According to a press release from National Defence on Thursday, Canada will be sending an “initial tranche” of approximately 2,000 rocket motors.

The federal Conservatives have been urging Ottawa to transfer its 83,303 units of the motors, with the Ukrainian ambassador expressing that her country could benefit from decommissioned weapons in their conflict against Russia’s invasion.

Additionally, Canada will be donating 29 surplus Nanuk remote weapons systems and over 130,000 surplus small-arms ammunition rounds.

The announcement was made by Defence Minister Bill Blair during a meeting in Brussels with the Ukraine Defense Contract Group, comprising around 50 allied countries led by the United States.

The release states that the rockets have been rigorously tested to ensure their functionality.

Defence Research and Development Canada, along with Magellan Aerospace and Defence Research, are conducting tests on “additional samples” of the rocket motors, the release stated.

“As further testing results become available, Canada will evaluate the possibility of donating additional CRV7 motors,” it added.

A spokesperson mentioned that the government aims to begin shipping the motors in the upcoming weeks.

In late May, Yuliya Kovaliv, Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada, informed a Senate committee that Ukraine has the capability to repair donated weapons.

“We have limited resources, so we are asking the Department of National Defence … if there is anything that is to be decommissioned—even if you think it’s in bad shape for your Canadian soldiers—we are ready to take it,” she remarked.

“The choices we have are either the people who don’t have anything on the front line can be killed or we can repair this equipment and use it for a really good purpose.”