National Defence Committee on Sept. 17th, 2024

[H.E. Yuliya Kovaliv]

Thank you for this question.

Indeed, we are very grateful for the decision of DND to give us those rockets and the motors of rockets. Part of them are on their way, delivered, part of them were just announced. Logistically it's taking some time, but we hope the delivery will be expedited. It is important because, as we have mentioned, on some parts of the front lines Russia is prevailing in the number of artillery shows by 12 to one, and sometimes it's five to one. However, even if those rockets were decommissioned, we definitely will make good use of them.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Good.

I just want to follow up quickly on a question Ms. Mathyssen asked.

You're familiar with Armatec Survivability, in London, Ontario. They refurbish LAVs. There was an article on CBC that indicated they were going to be allowed to update and upgrade and then rearmour 50 LAVs, but there's been no contract with the Canadian Commercial Corporation. There has been no communication coming from the Government of Canada. Everything has gone mute.

Have you heard anything at all on whether or not these LAVs—I think they call them the "Block-K"—will be available to Ukraine to help protect the soldiers in the battle against Russia?

[H.E. Yuliya Kovaliv]

Thank you.

We value strong Canada support in the coalition of capabilities and the armour capabilities also. We closely work with the Canadian government and Canadian producers, and we really value DND's decision and also the refurbishment of the old and decommissioned vehicles. Of course, there is an urgent need for the armoured vehicles, those that are newly produced and those that could be refurbished. This is one of the ways we found that it could be expedited.

We value the decision of DND to support this project and we are looking forward for the CCC.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I don't appreciate the opportunity to cut you off, but I'm going to have to cut you off. I apologize for that. I've got two generals and an ambassador, and I cut them all off.

Mr. Collins, you are next, for six minutes, please.

[An hon. member]

No, I think it's....

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

I just looked at Chad and said, “Is it you next?”, and he said, “Yes”.

[Chad Collins, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

I'm ready.

[An hon. member]

So is everyone else.

[Chad Collins, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Let's go to Viviane.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Viviane, okay. I apologize. Now that we have that straightened out, go ahead.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you, Mr Chair.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for coming here today.

How important is the role of NATO in helping to safeguard both Ukraine and the Baltic states from further Russian aggression? What additional measures would Ukraine like to see from the alliance?

[H.E. Yuliya Kovaliv]

First, and the most important, is the invitation for NATO. This is the thing that is crucially important and will bring to Ukraine security, post-war security, and it will also increase the capability of NATO because today the Ukrainian armed forces are really very strong and have real combat experience among many of the NATO members. Also, of course, as we saw after the Russian invasion, there was this big change in NATO. We have two more countries who are now NATO members. NATO as an alliance became stronger. Today, defence and military capabilities and defence spending and investment in all of the NATO countries are taken very seriously. Then if you would ask, what is the most important? It is our future NATO membership.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

I'd like to ask a question of the generals since I didn't get a chance in the first round. What is the Department of National Defence's current analysis of Russia's strategic objectives in Ukraine and the Baltic region?

The second part of my question is, how have these objectives evolved over the course of the conflict?

[MGen Gregory Smith]

I'd have to admit that the strategic objectives of Russia are somewhat confusing. Obviously, if they were looking to crack NATO, it didn't happen. If they were looking to defeat Ukraine, equally it didn't happen.

So far they're not doing well. Indeed, with two new countries having joined NATO—Finland and Sweden—that shows some increasing success from the west. Also, given the continued heroism of the Ukrainian people, with support from the west, they've been unable to achieve their objectives to date.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you.

How likely does the Department of National Defence assess the risk of the conflict in Ukraine spilling over into the Baltic region or escalating into a broader regional war?

[MGen Robert Ritchie]

What I'd respond with is that we have seen a professionalized NATO since 2022, both in terms of regional plans, functional plans, contingencies, and a new readiness model called the new NATO force model. On the eastern flank, we have seen the augmentation from four to eight battle groups, and now eight brigades. While I can't predict possibilities on the Russian front at this level of classification, I can tell you that NATO is galvanized around this opportunity and solidarity of the alliance, including support for Ukraine.

[MGen Gregory Smith]

Mr. Chair, if I could just add, because I know this committee has visited Latvia, I think you've seen what that has done in the alliance. We now have 14 nations participating with Canada in Latvia, who have come together to provide defence for Latvia. That's all an example of how NATO has progressed since 2017 particularly. I think that's a great sign of success and unity.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

We've talked about misinformation. I'd be interested to learn how the department has assessed the cybersecurity risk posed to NATO allies in Canada by the conflict and what steps are being taken to bolster cyber-defence in these regions.

[MGen Robert Ritchie]

Indeed, in 2022, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine made a request, and we immediately bolstered Ukrainian cyber-defence capabilities. That relationship has been a deliberate, incremental approach, and it's progressed significantly in the last 24 months. To speak specifically, cybersecurity expertise is 24-7, cyber-threat intelligence, software tools, hardware, cloud services, and engineering solutions. This is actually two-way—reciprocal—as we furnish support but also learn from the threats that are being presented, and we're doing so with like-minded allies as well.

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Thank you.

Can you tell us what the key indicators are that the department would monitor to suggest any increase in military threats to the Baltic NATO members?

[MGen Gregory Smith]

Mr. Chair, I can give this a try.

We have intelligence. We have all those forces there that are constantly monitoring strategic intelligence. Indeed, NATO, now at 32 members, is doing a lot of work to continue to monitor the Baltic. If I can say...we're co-operating widely across the three Baltic countries and particularly with Poland. I think, as my colleague has said, NATO has come together with plans. I worked in NATO a few years ago. That has all continued to mature to provide the deterrence—not so much the defence but the deterrence—so that Russia will never want to take on NATO. We've shown a degree of deterrence and defence that would prevent them from trying to go after an alliance of 32.

[The Chair, Liberal, John McKay]

Ms. Normandin, you have the floor for six minutes.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you very much.

Your Excellency, it's always a pleasure to welcome you to the committee.

I would like to know your opinion on a question I asked the generals a little earlier about Ukraine's need for 155‑millimetre ammunition. Where do things stand, more or less? Have the needs changed? Are there any new ones? To what extent are the allies currently able to meet those needs?

Second, on the increase in the number of munitions that Canada is providing to Ukraine from 3,000 to 5,000 a month, can that be increased in any way?

[H.E. Yuliya Kovaliv]

Thank you.

Indeed, the 155-millimetre artillery shells is one of the top kinds of requests that our Minister of Defence is getting directly from the front line. It's widely seen how Russia is able to produce them, but North Korea is also providing a lot of them to Russia. We are grateful to Canada for supporting the Czech initiative, which was to provide us with the artillery shells. However, of course, we are talking about the need for millions of artillery shells and the need to jointly increase the production. We are also launching part of the production in Ukraine, but of course, we welcome the additional support of 155-millimetre artillery shells from our partners, including from Canada and Canadian producers.

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you very much.

A little earlier, I asked a question about the possibility of deeper strikes on Russian military targets, and I would also like to know your point of view on that. We know what we could aim for, such as launch bases, production lines and supply chains that include trains.

How much can this help Ukraine? Do you think that could completely change the situation? I would like you to tell us about the qualitative aspect of this.