Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair announced that Canada has transferred to Ukraine the NASAMS medium-range anti-aircraft missile system, which is already in Poland and will soon be transported across the border. Blair noted that the transfer of this system was carried out jointly with the Americans and the manufacturer Raytheon, which ensured the delivery of the system to Ukraine.
According to him, the Canadian Prime Minister had earlier had a telephone conversation with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and reported on the successful delivery of NASAMS. The Minister noted that this process is an important stage in the cooperation between Canada and Ukraine within the framework of defense assistance. Blair also expressed the hope that more information will be provided in the near future on further steps in this process.
The NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system that Canada purchased for Ukraine was announced in early 2023. The cost of this system is 406 million US dollars. It was previously reported that the delay in the delivery was due to problems with financing from the US, which needed to be resolved to complete the contract with the manufacturer Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace.
Despite the difficulties, the transfer of the NASAMS complex is an important step in strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities, as this complex is an effective means of protection against air attacks.
