Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for donating a surface-to-air middle system to the country.
The announcement that Canada will purchase a U.S.-manufactured National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) for Ukraine came in a readout released from the Prime Minister’s Office earlier Tuesday.
In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Zelensky said Trudeau’s “true leadership in standing for democracy and human rights has been vividly proven again.”
“Thank you for helping us to protect our sky,” Zelenskyy wrote. “NASAMS procured for us by Canada will be a strong shield for our cities and citizens.”
The NASAM is a medium-range ground-based air defence system that protects against drone, missile and aircraft attack with a high success rate, according to a statement from the Department of National Defence.
“Canada’s NASAMS donation will help Ukraine strengthen its air defence systems against destructive air attacks on military sites, civilian critical infrastructure, and population centres,” it reads.
This donation of NASAMS has an approximately $406 million value.
In an address on Sunday, Zelensky revealed that the city of Bakhmut, in the eastern Donbas region, had not fallen yet.
“Bakhmut is holding out against all odds,” Zelensky said. “And although most of the city is destroyed by Russian strikes, our warriors repel constant attempts at Russian offensive there.”
Reuters reported that Ukrainian officials said they sent reinforcements to Soledar, a small town near Bakhmut, to repel attacks from the Russian mercenary group Wagner.
Zelensky said in his address that the situation in Soledar is “extremely hard,” as the town faced even more destruction than neighboring Bakhmut.
“There is no such piece of land near these two cities, where the occupier would not have given his life for the crazy ideas of the masters of the Russian regime,” he said in the address. “This is one of the bloodiest places on the frontline.”
Zelensky said that Ukrainian Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi visited the troops near the two cities to commend them for their resilience and to organize the strengthening of Ukraine’s defense, including transferring additional units to the area.
“I thank all our defenders who act in this way, who realize that their personal resilience, their personal strength and effectiveness give resilience, strength and effectiveness to the whole state,” he added.
