Pro-Kremlin outlets have distorted the facts, portraying a routine contract adjustment as a sign that Ottawa is «abandoning» Kyiv. In truth, Canada remains a steadfast supporter of Ukraine—continuing to deliver weapons, train Ukrainian forces, and finance key defense initiatives.
Anonymous Telegram channels have circulated claims that the Canadian government «reversed course» on plans to send 25 refurbished armored vehicles to Ukraine. According to these posts, the vehicles—said to be fully repaired—will remain in Canadian storage because Ottawa allegedly decided to «keep them for itself.»
These posts are often laced with sarcasm about «rusting tanks» awaiting a «moose invasion,» a rhetorical flourish meant to mock Western military aid. The intent is clear: to fuel the perception that Ukraine’s allies are weary, unreliable, or quietly retreating from their commitments.
In reality, the situation has no connection to any political reversal on aid to Ukraine. The matter involves the cancellation of a defense contract after a private contractor failed to meet its obligations. In 2023, Canada’s Ministry of Defence did transfer 25 decommissioned Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs) to Ontario-based Armatec Survivability for refurbishment and eventual delivery to Ukraine. The roughly 250 million Canadian dollar contract was managed through the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), a federal agency that facilitates government-to-government defense exports.
The program called for the refurbishment and modernization of the vehicles, including the installation of advanced remote-controlled weapon systems. Nearly two years later, however, progress had largely ground to a halt. In October 2025, Defence Minister David McGuinty informed the parliamentary defense committee that Ottawa had terminated its contract with Armatec. While he declined to discuss specifics, McGuinty made no mention of Canada retaining the vehicles or reneging on its commitment to transfer them to Ukraine.
«There is a decision that’s been taken to nullify the contract with that company presently. I can’t go any further in terms of discussing the merits. We’ll see how that evolves in terms of relationship to the department and contractor,» McGuinty told the Commons defence committee.
Canadian media reports indicate that the setback was driven not by a shift in Ottawa’s political stance but by persistent production and administrative hurdles. The contractor repeatedly missed delivery deadlines and failed to meet key contractual obligations, prompting officials to cancel the agreement and reassess how the project would be carried out.
It’s important to underscore that Canada’s commitment to Ukraine’s defense remains intact. Under its ongoing military assistance program, Ottawa continues to deliver armored vehicles, drones, air defense systems, and ammunition, while also training Ukrainian troops. These efforts are detailed in publicly available government reports and official statements.
Those promoting such narratives seek to foster the illusion that Ukraine’s allies are «fatigued» by the war and retreating from their commitments. The broader objective is to erode public trust in Western partners and inject a sense of pessimism and isolation into Ukrainian society.
Previously, StopFake also refuted similar disinformation suggesting that Germany had «halted military aid» to Ukraine and that deliveries of heavy weaponry were supposedly suspended.
