Re: Ukraine / Latvia

by **Spider** Fri 01 Jul 2022, 9:33 am

Canadian fighting in Ukraine pleads for more equipment

By Stewart Bell Global News
Posted July 1, 2022

Global News

by **Colter** Mon 04 Jul 2022, 4:19 pm

'Hell on earth': Ukrainian soldiers describe life on eastern front

Published July 4, 2022

CTV News

by **Apollo** Wed 06 Jul 2022, 7:28 pm

Purchase of robotic mine-hunting system for Canadian navy faces delays with focus on support for Ukraine

Canadian military and government procurement specialists have been focused for several months on buying equipment for Ukraine’s armed forces.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Jul 06, 2022

A project to buy robotic mine-hunting equipment for the Royal Canadian Navy is being delayed partly because the Canadian military is focused on getting equipment for Ukraine.

Two of the robotic systems to detect and dispose of sea mines and other underwater explosive devices were to be purchased for the navy and delivered by the end of this year as part of a $35-million project.

But industry officials told this newspaper the project has been delayed because of what they allege to be bungling by procurement officials on what should have been a relatively straightforward purchase.

Department of National Defence officials confirm the project has been delayed. But, in its statement to this newspaper, DND noted the delays were prompted by the need for more discussions with industry and because of “the refocusing of internal resources on urgent priority equipment donations for Ukraine. DND leadership is taking all steps to carefully review this project as part of our normal project planning procedures, and all efforts are being made to complete this review prior to the end of this calendar year.”

DND officials say no other projects are being delayed because of Ukraine equipment purchases. The department notes the equipment is still expected to be in use by the navy by November 2024, as scheduled.

The additional discussions with industry were required to ensure the procurement would be fair and transparent, the department added in its statement.

The Remote Mine-hunting and Disposal Systems, or RMDS, will be used mainly on the navy’s Kingston-class vessels. Work on the procurement started in 2017, when military officials went to industry with initial questions on what capabilities companies could provide.

Bids were requested in June 2021 and were submitted.

Canadian military and government procurement specialists have been focused for several months on buying equipment for Ukraine’s armed forces.

Canada is spending $500 million on new gear for Ukraine’s military, which has been battling Russian forces. On June 30, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would provide Ukraine with 39 armoured vehicles that had originally been earmarked for the Canadian Army.

Canada is also in discussions with South Korea to purchase 100,000 artillery shells for Ukraine in a deal that could cost Canadian taxpayers several hundred million dollars. It has already spent $98 million to buy 20,000 similar artillery rounds from the United States for Ukraine. In addition, the Liberal government has provided Ukraine with Canadian Forces M777 artillery guns.

Besides artillery, Canada has shipped Carl Gustaf anti-tank systems, grenades and drone cameras to Ukraine. In February, it also sent a shipment that included .50-calibre sniper rifles equipped with silencers, 60-millimetre mortars, grenade launchers, pistols, ammunition, thermal-imaging binoculars, cameras, scopes and medical supplies. The equipment was enough to equip a force of between 500 and 600 personnel. The shipment also included C6 and C9 machine guns, which are used by the Canadian Forces.

Retired chief of the defence staff Gen. Rick Hillier has called on the Canadian military to give up about half of its armoured vehicles and all of its remaining artillery to Ukraine as part of Canada’s efforts to arm that nation.

The Canadian Forces has rejected Hillier’s plan. DND officials privately say the retired general’s plan would significantly harm Canada’s security.

Defence Watch

by **Accer** Fri 22 Jul 2022, 1:39 pm

Canadian fighter wounded in Ukraine evacuated to Ottawa

By Jeff Semple & Stewart Bell . Global News
Posted July 22, 2022

A Canadian veteran badly wounded while serving with the Ukrainian armed forces is recovering at an Ottawa hospital after being evacuated from the war zone.

The retired member of the Canadian military told Global News he was taking part in an operation with Ukraine’s international legion when he hit a Russian anti-tank mine.

In an exclusive interview, he said he didn’t know how he survived the explosion, which left him with a broken neck, fractured ribs, burns, a concussion and nerve damage.

The 50-year-old spent two months receiving treatment in six Ukrainian hospitals until Canadian military veterans extracted him to Warsaw and flew him to Toronto last week.

He was then taken to Ottawa Civic Hospital.

The Canadian veterans organization Aman Lara worked with Can-Aid and the non-profit Smart Medical Aid to orchestrate his return.

“This really was a Canadian team effort,” said Brian Macdonald, the executive director of Aman Lara, whose mission is to “get good people out of bad places.”

“He was stuck,” Macdonald said. “You’ve got a wounded guy in Ukraine. There’s no government support available. So how do you get somebody back from a situation like that?

“And we were able to pull together a team of professionals, medical specialists, logistics specialists, and we built that team and we got him home successfully with really minimal discomfort to him.

“So it’s a huge success story.”

The wounded volunteer, who asked to be identified only as J.T., said he was moved by the help he received from all those who worked to bring him home.

“Their level of coordination and professionalism was beyond anything I could even … thought of,” he said.

Following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, J.T. was moved by scenes of families torn apart by Russia’s war. As a recently-retired Canadian Forces combat engineer, who had served in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Macedonia, he felt he had skills to offer.

He arrived in Ukraine in mid-March and joined the International Legion, a branch of the armed forces of Ukraine. After training, he was sent into combat in the Zaphorozia region.

He said his unit included British and American veterans, and he met four of the Canadians who make up a significant proportion of the internationals fighting in Ukraine.

In May, he was clearing mines for a Ukrainian strike force that was preparing to attack a Russian position.

An observation team sent forward in advance of the assault triggered a mine. He got into a pickup truck to help extract them but it was stuck on railroad tracks, he said.

“So I took over the driver’s seat and I said, ‘OK, I’m just going to back this truck down beside the train tracks.’ At which point, that was the last thing I remember.”

For weeks, he was moved from hospital to hospital, undergoing skin grafts and reconstructive surgery. He said he could only communicate with medical staff using Google translate.

Meanwhile, his friend Erica was trying to get him home. She spoke to the federal government, looked into medical evacuation flights and organized an online fundraising campaign.

“It was pretty stressful. In the end, we ended up having some people step forward to offer to help,” she said. “So that felt like a miracle to me. That was incredible.”

“I’m beyond grateful for their help.”

Macdonald said he did not know J.T. personally but members of his team did. “And we sort of wondered, if we don’t do this for this guy, who else is going to do it?”

“We were uniquely suited to do it because of all the things we learned in Afghanistan, and the missions that we’ve run in Ukraine and Poland. So when this came up, we said this is absolutely something we can help with.”

But first they had to find J.T.. Unbeknownst to the Canadians, he was not registered in the Ukrainian health system under his real name. Instead, he was listed as “Jack Daniels.”

Canadian veterans entered Ukraine and took him by ambulance to the western city of Lviv, and then to Poland, said Greg Lawlor, who organized the mission.

He was stable enough to fly on a commercial aircraft, which simplified the process. “He’s one of us,” Lawlor said of J.T., who had served in his brigade. “I mean, you know, no man left behind.”

Erica said she was “overjoyed” he was back in Canada. “I wish it could have been sooner, but it is what it is,” she said. “He’s been really well taken care of by the hospital here. The staff are all incredible.”

“The doctors have found some issues we didn’t know about until he arrived back in Canada. So that’s been a little bit stressful, trying to process new injuries and issues,” she said.

“But he’s here getting great care, so I’m thrilled.”

Global News

by **GeminiTeam** Mon 25 Jul 2022, 4:15 pm

Canadian citizen killed in Ukraine with three other foreign volunteer fighters identified

Published July 24, 2022

CTV News

by **Diesel** Tue 26 Jul 2022, 4:29 pm

Quebecer Émile Antoine Roy Sirois, code name ‘Beaver,’ dies on front lines in Ukraine

By Virginie Ann The Canadian Press
Posted July 25, 2022

Global News

by **Forcell** Thu 04 Aug 2022, 11:47 am

Canadian Armed Forces to start training Ukrainian soldiers in third country

The move comes nearly six months after Canada suspended its previous training mission in Ukraine

Aug 04, 2022

Defence Minister Anita Anand is expected to announce that the Canadian Armed Forces will start training Ukrainian soldiers in a third country.

The move comes nearly six months after Canada suspended its previous training mission in Ukraine just weeks before Russian forces invaded the country.

It also follows the return on Sunday of 150 Canadian soldiers who were first deployed to Poland in April to help with a flood of Ukrainian refugees flowing over the border.

A senior government official, granted anonymity to discuss matters not yet made public, tells The Canadian Press the new mission will include a significant number of troops and build on the military assistance that Canada has already given to Ukraine.

That includes training Ukrainian forces on how to use the four M777 howitzers that Canada donated earlier this year, as well as cyber assistance through Canada’s electronic spy agency, the Communications Security Establishment.

Canada first launched a mission, along with Britain and the United States, to help train the Ukrainian military after Moscow ordered the annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and started supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

The federal government says that mission, known as Operation Unifier, helped train more than 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers before all Canadian troops were evacuated ahead of Russia’s invasion.

While the trainers eventually returned home, Canada has expanded the size of its military presence in Europe in response to the now war, which is in its sixth month.

That includes the 150 service members who recently returned from Poland, and reinforcing a Canadian-led NATO battle group in Latvia.

In April, Russia sanctioned all six former commanders of Operation Unifier, which some saw as proof of the mission’s success.

Toronto Sun

by **Apollo** Thu 04 Aug 2022, 4:49 pm

Aug 04. 2022

Canadian Forces to deploy to U.K. to train new Ukrainian recruits, defence minister announces

by Covert Sat 13 Aug 2022, 8:27 am

Edmonton-based soldiers head overseas as part of Operation Unifier

Published Aug. 12, 2022

Ukraine / Latvia - Page 6 Canadian-soldiers-1-6025049-1660323830989

CTV News

by **Forcell** Mon 15 Aug 2022, 11:58 am

How Canadian volunteer fighters are risking their lives on Ukraine's brutal front lines

Aug 15. 2022

In the scrubby bush of a southern Ukraine battlefield, the enemy is hard to see but clearly a looming threat.

Four soldiers fire repeated rounds through a curtain of flimsy trees as their unit beats a halting escape from the Russian troops.

“Move, move, move,” someone urges, his command rising above the clutter of English and Ukrainian voices.

It’s too late for one of their number, whose bloodied, unconscious body is dragged by two comrades across the muddy ground toward hoped-for safety. The Ukrainian fighter would not survive his gunshot wound.

The recent mission near Kherson — partly captured in a minute-long video of combat chaos provided to the National Post — was among the last for Sean LeClair during four months fighting in and for Ukraine. And it was, says the Ottawa-based infantry veteran, “really bad.”

“There was no support, no logistics, no prior information, shitty drone footage,” LeClair said in an interview shortly before returning to Canada. “People died and the mission failed…. After that, me and (other foreign fighters) said ‘We’re tired and we’re done.’”

His experiences were likely more harrowing than most, but LeClair is just one among scores — maybe hundreds — of Canadian volunteers who have put their lives on hold and joined the struggle against Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Nearly half a year into the brutal conflict, three of them shared their hard-earned perspective on the war with the National Post.

LeClair fought frequent missions with an infantry branch of the GUR, Ukraine’s military intelligence ministry, against adversaries with a massive edge in firepower. A young army veteran from Montreal dodged Russian tanks and survived relentless artillery attacks. And a 50-year-old ex-member of an Ontario nuclear plant’s resident SWAT team risked all disposing of mines and other live explosives.

There’s not much you can do. You hide, and hope you don’t die

Most say they were bowled over by the Ukrainian people’s courage and resilience. All maintain that Ukraine needs much more Western military aid to prevail.

At least one Canadian, Montreal’s Emile-Antoine Roy-Sirois , has been killed in the war, while other foreign fighters have been treated — unjustly, say international-law experts — as mercenaries when captured by the Russians.

Such dangers did not deter a flood of Canadians who stepped forward after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked for foreign volunteers. More than 500 had arrived by March, a spokesman for the newly formed International Legion of Defence of Ukraine told the Post at the time.

The Legion spokesman said they even had their own unit, the Canadian Ukrainian Brigade, but LeClair says no such group was ever formed. The Canadians and other foreign fighters were dispersed instead to various different units and tasks. “(The brigade) just isn’t a thing that exists.”

Representatives of the International Legion and Ukraine Ministry of Defence could not be reached for comment.

The grinding war has taken a horrific toll on both sides. A Pentagon official estimated Monday that as many as 80,000 Russian invaders have been killed or wounded — more than during the Soviet Union’s entire, decade-long occupation of Afghanistan. Ukrainian armed forces casualties are thought to be similar.

And at least 5,000 Ukrainian civilians had lost their lives by mid-July, according to the UN High Commission for Refugees, though it says the real figure is likely thousands higher. Russia has repeatedly targeted civilian buildings and neighbourhoods in what many observers charge are war crimes .

After abandoning its attempt to capture the capital Kyiv early in the invasion, Moscow focused its military might on Ukraine’s Donbas region and in July seized control of Luhansk province. As it pushes to capture the remainder of the Donbas, the Ukrainians have tried to take the initiative with a counter-offensive further south around Kherson, one of the first areas captured by Russian forces.

The three Canadians have been in the thick of it.

The Montreal native, who asked to be identified only by his nickname, Speedy, for security reasons had just finished three years as an infantryman in the Canadian army’s Royal 22nd Regiment — the famed “Van-Doos” — when the war started on Feb. 24.

By March 10, the 20-year-old was in Ukraine.

“I am someone with a big heart,” he says. “I’ve always been someone who has wanted to help people, because life is so unfair sometimes.”

He spent the first two months with the Norman Brigade, a unit run by a fellow Quebecer whose leadership style has been criticized by some others. Speedy said he considered him a fine commander, but eventually quit and linked up with the Carpathian Sich Battalion , a unit of local and foreign volunteers.

Operating in eastern Ukraine, Speedy says his unit dug trenches and foxholes, planted land mines and played cat-and-mouse with Russian tanks and other armoured vehicles that would fire on their positions.

He says they managed to take out some of them with Javelin and NLAW anti-tank weapons donated by Western countries and with rocket-propelled grenades.

Other times, it was just a matter of hunkering in trenches as Russian artillery that “never goes empty” rained down shells.

“There’s not much you can do. You hide, and hope you don’t die,” says Speedy. “This war is f—ing scary. But it’s something you have to live with.”

He says he never actually traded small-arms fire with the Russians in what is widely described as an artillery war. And the Canadian feels lucky to have narrowly avoided one firefight. He was about to head out on patrol with some Ukrainian soldiers when they told him he wasn’t needed. Minutes later, the group was caught in an ambush. Only one of the four made it back alive. The incident added to his admiration for the locals.

“Ukrainian soldiers, I’ve never seen people that motivated,” he said. “They’re going to fight to the death…. These guys are real, real warriors. I love these guys.”

Back in Canada now, Speedy says he’s already thinking about returning to Ukraine.

Chris, who asked that his surname not be published, followed a very different route to the country. As an employee of an Ontario nuclear station, he was once part of a “nuclear response team,” an armed tactical unit that actually won international SWAT-team awards.

He was slated to join the International Legion but in Poland met a multi-national explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) team — bomb-disposal experts — who realized they could use his skills. The privately funded group is backed partly by U.K. charity The Spearhead Foundation and welcomes donations.

For weeks, he, two Australians, an American, a Ukrainian interpreter and a British leader combed through the suburbs and rural areas around Kyiv after the Russian withdrawal, finding unexploded munitions, moving them to “detonation ranges” and blowing them up safely.

In one case, they were tasked with clearing a large camp abandoned by the Russians. Its ammunition depots had been mostly destroyed by Ukrainian shelling, but numerous live rounds remained.

“The problem is someone has to go and clean up all those unexploded ordinances,” says Chris. “They’re still live but they’d be in some kind of damaged state where the probability of them going off is a lot higher.”

The work also involved trudging through overgrown fields, scanning the tall grass for “sub-munitions,” the mini-explosives released by cluster bombs , weapons that have been banned by 120 countries because of the danger they pose to civilians. The team had bomb suits but they were often too bulky for the work, meaning body armour and a helmet had to suffice.

“The potential for loss of life or limb is fairly high,” he admits. “There were a few times I stopped and looked around and thought ‘What am I doing here? I have four kids and three grand-kids and I have a great job. I’m 50 years old.’”

But Chris said he found encouragement from the Ukrainians, whose strength, fortitude and uncomplaining manner left him sometimes “at a loss for words.” Home in Ontario now, he hopes to return to Ukraine in the fall.

LeClair doesn’t question the courage of his Ukrainian comrades, but was less than impressed by the leadership.

The Canadian veteran of the French Foreign Legion spent a frenetic four months with the GUR, assaulting enemy positions in the Mykolaiv/Kherson border region of southern Ukraine, seizing parts of Russian-held territory, setting up mines and observation posts.

There were a few times I stopped and looked around and thought ‘What am I doing here?’

With the constant waves of Russian artillery fire, the conflict is more like the Second World War than the counter-insurgency battles he and other Western veterans fought, LeClair says. He recalls being trapped for days in a root cellar under bombardment near southern Ukraine’s Berezovka, with as many as 567 shells landing nearby every day. He and the other soldiers had to urinate in water bottles because it was too dangerous to venture outside.

“It’s pretty much hairy all the time, to be honest with you,” says LeClair, who left a government job in Ottawa to fight the Russians. “This isn’t Afghanistan, it’s not Iraq … it’s sitting in a hole getting shelled. You could die at any moment. You could die without even firing a round.”

What’s more, he complains that Ukrainian commanders could be “reckless,” taking unnecessary risks or not having appropriate support or equipment in operations that were doomed to fail. While fighting to defend the city of Sievierodonetsk, one of Ukraine’s last major strongholds in the Luhansk region, communication between Ukrainian units was so poor, “the Georgian Legion was shooting the International Legion who was shooting the GUR who was then shooting the Georgians.”

“Everything that could go wrong, does go wrong. It’s Murphy’s Law.”

LeClair says he won’t discourage others from following in his footsteps. But having seen many inexperienced Canadians arrive with visions of easily taking out Russian draftees on the battlefield, he has a sobering caution.

“Those Russian conscripts who have been fighting now for four months on the front, they’re not conscripts anymore,” says LeClair. “They are experienced fighters who have the upper hand. They’re just waiting for people to go on missions and fall into their ambushes.”

Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2022

Postmedia News

by Covert Mon 24 Oct 2022, 7:39 am

Canadian military to replace weapons sent to Ukraine, but could face problems buying new howitzers

“Plans to replace some of the more recent donations are still being developed"

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Publishing date: Oct 24, 2022

The Canadian military will replace over the next two to four years some of the equipment it sent to Ukraine but could face a problem acquiring replacements for the howitzers it donated.

The Canadian Army donated four M777 howitzers to Ukraine’s military and those guns have proven effective on the battlefield in that country’s war with Russia.

But the M777 howitzers are no longer produced. The assembly line was shut down years ago as orders dried up.

National Defence spokesperson Jessica Lamirande said the department would examine various options to replace the guns, including considering buying a different type of howitzer or seeing if other nations might part with their M777s. There is also hope among Canadian military staff that BAE, the firm that made the M777s, might restart the production line if it receives interest on new purchases from NATO countries that have given stocks of M777s to Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that BAE was considering restarting M777 production if enough nations, in particular the United States, expressed interest in buying them.

Lamirande said the Canadian Forces intended to replace the M72 rocket launchers, the Carl Gustaf recoilless guns, de-mining equipment, the grenades and the ammunition sent to Ukraine. “Plans to replace some of the more recent donations are still being developed,” she added.

Some of the equipment will be acquired through the regular procurement process, while ammunition will be replaced as part of the annual replenishment process. Lamirande noted the ammunition replacement would take place over a two- to four-year period.

The Canadian military has been facing increasing pressure to provide more equipment to Ukraine.

Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, told CBC last month that the Canadian military must give more howitzers and armoured vehicles to Ukraine. He said the Canadian government should say yes to every request for weapons it receives from Ukraine.

Retired chief of the defence staff Gen. Rick Hillier has also called for the Canadian Army to give up about half of its armoured vehicle fleet and all its artillery.

Privately, some in the military are pushing back against such suggestions, warning that stripping the Canadian Forces of equipment could put Canadian lives at risk.

Canada financed a $98-million deal to buy 20,000 artillery rounds from the U.S. for Ukraine. Besides artillery and the other gear, Canada has supplied drone cameras, .50-calibre sniper rifles equipped with silencers, 60-millimetre mortars, grenade launchers, pistols, machine guns, thermal-imaging binoculars, cameras, scopes and medical supplies.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre has called on defence firms to go to a “war footing” so more weapons can be supplied to Ukraine and the Canadian Forces stocks sent to that country can be replaced.

But industry executives have questioned Eyre’s lack of knowledge about how the defence industry works. They point out that companies won’t start building weapons until they get solid contracts from government.

In addition, many modern weapons are highly reliant on sophisticated electronics and other components now in high demand. The pandemic has also created issues with supply chains and the availability of workers.

Lockheed Martin, for instance, has noted it will boost Javelin anti-tank missile production, but that could take as long as two years because of supply-chain problems.

A report issued earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Defense noted shortages of skilled labour in America’s defence industry.

Canadian defence firms are limited in what they build, and many supply systems to U.S. and European companies.

The U.S. Pentagon, however, has started pushing out contracts during the past several months. The U.S. is buying more Javelin missiles and Lockheed Martin was recently awarded a contract to replace high-mobility artillery rocket systems and other rocket systems sent to Ukraine.

Defence Watch

by Covert Wed 11 Jan 2023, 9:17 am

Canada buys Ukraine $400M air-defence system; Canadian Army still waits for such equipment

A “National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System” is a short- to medium-range ground-based air-defence system that protects against drone, missile and aircraft attacks.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

Published Jan 10, 2023

The Liberal government is spending more than $400 million to buy air-defence systems for Ukraine even though the Canadian Forces has been without such equipment for more than a decade.

Defence Minister Anita Anand announced Tuesday that Canada would purchase a “National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System” and associated munitions from the United States to donate to Ukraine. A NASAMS is a short- to medium-range ground-based air-defence system that protects against drone, missile and aircraft attacks. The donation will cost Canadian taxpayers approximately $406 million.

“Canada stands in solidarity with Ukrainians as they fight heroically against Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion,” Anand said. “We have committed over $1 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, and today we are moving forward with the first Canadian donation of an air defence system to Ukraine. Canada will continue to collaborate with the United States, as well as other Allies and partners, to address Ukraine’s defence priorities in the short and long term — including with high-capability equipment such as the NASAMS.”

Anand did not explain how the government was able to act so quickly in acquiring the air-defence system for Ukraine while a similar project for Canada’s military continued to go unfulfilled.

But her office added in a statement, “We continue to work towards the procurement of Ground-Based Air Defence Equipment for the Canadian Armed Forces — and Minister Anand is committed to getting this done, as outlined in our defence policy.”

The Canadian Army has been without an air-defence capability since 2012 and has tried over the past decade to convince governments to purchase such equipment.

The Canadian Army was outfitted in 1989 with a then state-of-the art air-defence anti-tank system known as ADATS. It was purchased to protect bases in Germany against attack by the Russians, but, shortly after ADATS was delivered, the Cold War ended and the systems were shipped back to Canada. ADATS was occasionally used for domestic security, including protection from potential air threats during the G8 summit in Alberta in 2002.

But, faced with budget cuts ordered by the Conservative government, the army announced it was removing ADATS from service in 2012.

That move left the Canadian Forces without a primary air-defence system. Army officers acknowledged then that the decision was risky, but the service had determined it was acceptable in the short term. The army had plans to introduce a new air-defence system around 2017, but that project never went forward.

The Liberal government outlined its proposed purchase of an air-defence system in its 2018 defence capability plan, but that acquisition is still being examined.

Army commander Lt. Gen. Joe Paul told The Canadian Press in December that the army was moving forward on purchasing air-defence equipment, but he did not provide timelines.

In 2020, then Army commander Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre also told Esprit de Corps military magazine that ground-based air defence was a priority for the service. “We see the evolving threat from drones, from rockets, and other forms of indirect fire,” said Eyre, who has since been promoted to Chief of the Defence Staff. “We have to be able to protect ourselves.”

During a briefing in Ottawa on April 5, 2022, Canadian Army officers told defence industry representatives the cost would between $500 million and $1 billion, according to records obtained by this newspaper. A contact was expected to be awarded in 2026 and the first systems would be in place a year later, industry officials were told.

Army officers said then that the new system would be used to deal with drones, rocket, artillery and mortar munitions, air-to-surface missiles and bombs.

The National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System being sent to Ukraine is designed and developed jointly by Raytheon of the U.S. and Kongsberg Defence of Norway, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the donation in a tweet on Tuesday. “Dear @JustinTrudeau, your true leadership in standing for democracy and human rights has been vividly proven again,” Zelenskyy stated. “Thank you for helping us to protect our sky. NASAMS procured for us by Canada will be a strong shield for our cities and citizens.”

Defence Watch

by **Powergunner** Wed 25 Jan 2023, 4:24 pm

Canada prepares to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

Published Jan 25, 2023

The Canadian Forces is looking at sending Leopard tanks to Ukraine but is still examining exact numbers it can donate, National Defence and industry sources say.

Plans are proceeding now that Germany has dropped its concerns about supplying the equipment to Ukraine which is in the midst of preparing for a new Russian offensive. NATO nations are co-ordinating between themselves trying to determine specific numbers of tanks that each country can provide.

The Royal Canadian Air Force could, if needed, use its C-17 transport planes to move the tanks to Poland, Canadian military insiders say. From there the armoured vehicles could be transported to Ukraine.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that “I have no announcement to make today” about Canada’s donation of tanks.

But he suggested that could be forthcoming. “As you know very well, Canada always tries to do whatever it can to help Ukraine,” he told journalists. “We hope that we’ll have more to share in the next few days.”

The Canadian Forces has 112 Leopard 2s in its fleet. Some of the tanks are for training while others are armoured recovery vehicles. Those can recover disabled tanks as well as provide combat engineer support.

The Canadian Army’s Leopard 2 fleet is primarily based at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton, CFB Gagetown, and at the army equipment fielding centre in Montreal.

Military insiders say Canada is hoping to provide at least 10 Leopard 2s, if not more.

The Canadian government has so far provided Ukraine with $5 billion in aid and weapons since Russia invaded almost a year ago, Defence Minister Anita Anand has said.

Germany has announced it will send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks as well as ammunition and spare parts. Ukrainian crews will be trained in Germany.

The German army has 320 Leopard 2 tanks but not all are combat ready.

Poland has also noted it will provide Leopards to Ukraine.

The U.S. is providing 31 of its Abrams tanks but those are seen as costly to operate.

The United Kingdom will donate 14 of its British Army Challenger 2 tanks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, wrote on Telegram: “The first tank step has been taken. Next up is the ‘tank coalition’. We need a lot of Leopards.”

Canada is under pressure to provide even more weapons to Ukraine.

Retired chief of the defence staff Gen. Rick Hillier said the Canadian Army should donate 50 of its Leopard 2 tanks.

Hillier, who works as an advisor for the Ukrainian World Congress, had previously called for the Canadian military to give up half of its armoured vehicles to Ukraine. When he was army commander Hillier tried to get rid of Canada’s Leopard tanks, claiming they were of no use in conflicts that Canada would become involved in such as Afghanistan.

Warfare had changed, according to Hillier. No longer was the Canadian Forces facing the Russians, he wrote at the time.

Later, however, the Canadian Army discovered that the Leopards did have a role in Afghanistan and in 2006 the tanks were rushed to Canadian Forces fighting in Kandahar.

Last September Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, told CBC the Canadian government should say yes to every request for weapons it receives from Ukraine.

NATO nations have been sending large amounts of weapons to Ukraine since the Feb. 24 invasion of that country by Russia. Some NATO officials view the war as an opportunity to either force regime change in Russia or to seriously weaken that country militarily.

In May 2022, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told the Associated Press that removing Russian President Vladimir Putin from power was the only way to protect the West.

U.S. defence secretary Lloyd Austin, a retired four-star U.S. general, said last year that, with enough equipment, Ukraine could defeat Russia. Austin told reporters the U.S. wanted to see “Russia weakened to the degree that it can’t do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine.”

Defence Watch

by Leopard Tue 31 Jan 2023, 11:51 am

Ukrainians raise questions about Ottawa charity as allegations swirl around donations

By David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen
Published Jan 31, 2023

An Ottawa charity involving Canadian Forces officers and other volunteers working to send non-lethal aid to Ukraine is facing allegations of mismanagement and providing Ukrainian troops with inadequate equipment.

A Ukrainian-American woman who is helping refugees and families of soldiers alleges not all the equipment purchased from a supplier linked to Mriya Aid was delivered.

“We became witnesses to (this) and we were trying to help innocent civilians to protect their rights and their families,” said Christina Katrakis, who travels to frontline locations in Ukraine to provide aid.

The supplier was also a volunteer for the charity.

Meanwhile, another charity helping Ukrainian soldiers alleges it paid the same military equipment supplier for non-lethal gear, but approximately $55,000 worth of equipment was never received.

A not-for-profit organization registered in Ontario, Mriya Aid describes itself as a network of experts dedicated to helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression. It secures and sends medical supplies, non-lethal military equipment, and humanitarian aid to the frontlines. It noted on its webpage that its “robust supply-chain and logistics infrastructure enables us to deliver the aid that our partners in Ukraine have identified as critical needs.”

The charity has collected equipment or donations valued at more than $4 million for Ukraine.

Mriya Aid officials say the allegations, some of which emerged online in the summer from Ukrainians, are entirely false and while there were problems with one shipment of gear, the charity is making a difference in Ukraine.

Mriya Aid chairperson Melanie Lake denies the charity is involved in any wrongdoing. “We have always acted in good faith,” said Lake, a Canadian Forces lieutenant colonel, who has served in the military for 24 years. “Our only goal, and the lead principle in decision-making throughout, has been trying to make the most positive impact on the ground.”

Lake told this newspaper that the allegations from Ukrainians the charity has profited from the war are categorically wrong. “We assert unequivocally and emphatically that any such allegations are entirely false and without any basis in fact.”

At least four Canadian Forces officers are involved in Mriya Aid, including two who are on the charity’s board of directors. They have received permission from National Defence to take part in the organization and, following department rules, they point out they are involved in a personal capacity as private citizens—not as official representatives of the military.

However, at least two officers have worn their uniforms for events related to the charity as well as used their military ranks in presentations related to Mriya Aid.

In addition, the charity’s website highlights Lake’s military service, noting she had served as the Task Force Commander for Operation UNIFIER, Canada’s military training mission in Ukraine.

Walter Lekh, a Ukrainian doctor in the U.S. who originally worked with Lake and other volunteers, raised concerns about Mriya Aid in the summer, specifically about problems with night vision equipment sent to Ukrainian troops.

Meanwhile, a former board member of Mriya Aid, who asked not to be named because of the threats and harassment he alleges he has faced, also raised concerns about various issues, including a shipment of medical supplies. He later resigned, shortly after warning his fellow Mriya Aid board members that the charity had lost oversight of some of its representatives.

In responding to the concerns raised by Ukrainians, Lake acknowledged there was an incident where problematic equipment was delivered to Ukrainian troops. But she said most Ukrainians have been happy with Mriya Aid.

Lake also said the charity can’t be held responsible for the alleged actions of its one-time volunteer or any claims made against him by Ukrainians who ordered equipment from his firm.

That volunteer, Mitch Leedham, was listed in a March 12 Mriya Aid report as the charity’s point of contact for military aid. His Pickering, Ontario-based company, AusCan Tactical, is listed as Mriya Aid’s contact for the vetting of donated military equipment.

Leedham said all allegations against him are false and he has provided all the equipment requested by Ukrainians. Leedham added claims about war profiteering are ridiculous. “If you are dealing with businesses that sell these products and you are buying them during a war, well that’s not war profiteering,” he explained. “They’ve always sold those products. You’re just buying during wartime.”

Mriya Aid supporters have accused Lekh, the Ukrainian doctor, and those associated with him of trying to destroy the Canadian organization because of ongoing personal disputes with individuals linked to the Mriya Report. That online commentary group consists of volunteers who also donate to Mriya Aid.

Lekh, however, says he has spoken out publicly because he has concerns about how the charity operates and how it treats his fellow Ukrainians. He has gone online to suggest people directly donate to Ukrainian-based charities such as United24, which was launched by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the main venue for collecting charitable donations.

Mriya Aid chairperson Melanie Lake confirmed that earlier this year there were indeed problems with the charity’s shipment of medical aid, which had been insured for $500,000. It had been initially delivered to the wrong address in Poland; Mriya Aid didn’t know where the shipment was for at least a month. Lake said the pallets of supplies had been mistakenly delivered to a Polish government warehouse but were eventually forwarded to Ukraine.

The quality of night vision equipment supplied to Ukrainian troops by Mriya Aid was also a concern raised by Lekh and other Ukrainians in both online forums and to this newspaper.

There were indeed problems with some night vision equipment, Mriya Aid confirmed. Mriya Aid officials said the charity ordered night vision goggles—or NVGs—through Leedham’s firm, AusCan Tactical. The May 25, 2022 invoice covered the purchase of 30 NVGs at more than $100,000, although Mriya Aid states that 31 systems were sent.

The Ukrainian soldiers were supposed to be receiving newer generation NVGs. But when the equipment arrived in Ukraine, there were complaints some of the gear was older technology, Mriya Aid acknowledged in response to questions from this newspaper.

There were no markings or labels on the NVGs to identify the make or model. Some were missing batteries.

In an interview, Mriya Aid officials stated the charity was never able to determine the full extent of the problems with the NVGs donated to Ukrainian troops.

Melanie Lake said Mriya Aid tried to gather information about what was happening, and a list of problems was shared with the supplier. (Lake declines to refer directly to Leedham by name, instead referring to him as “the supplier.”)

Leedham told this newspaper he was informed that only one set of night vision goggles had problems, and he blames Mriya Aid for the issue. He noted he usually sent such equipment first to Canada where he can personally inspect it before shipping it, but Mriya Aid insisted the gear be sent direct from Hong Kong. In addition, he added, the equipment from Hong Kong was cheaper.

“Because (Mriya Aid) chose not to have them exported to Canada, that extra quality control was removed,” Leedham explained. “They had other options. There was no obligation to make an order through me. They chose to.”

He stated Mriya Aid is trying “to shift blame when really they are not taking any accountability themselves for making their decisions.”

Leedham also said he told Mriya Aid he was ready to rectify the situation. “After I told them that, I was ignored. They stopped talking to me. “

Mriya Aid apologized, at a later date and over Twitter, to the Ukrainian soldiers who were disappointed with the NVGs and acknowledged that the equipment delivered “did not meet the standard that we and the recipients expected.”

“Unfortunately, there are always those who seek to profit during times of crisis,” Mriya Aid tweeted.

***

On July 21, 2022, Elizabeth Eldridge sent an email to her fellow Mriya Aid board members, noting her concerns that Leedham was not forthcoming with his supplier names or information.

Eldridge alleged Leedham publicly promoted his affiliation with Mriya Aid, adding that could pose a risk to the charity’s reputation. “It is highly recommended that Mriya Aid cease working with Mitch Leedham/AUSCAN Tactical as a supplier and as a volunteer with Mriya Aid,” Eldridge wrote to fellow board members.

Eldridge also cited an email that Melanie Lake had already received from Project SIRIN, an organization collecting donations to buy equipment for Ukrainian special forces, with concerns about Leedham, AusCan and the quality of the equipment the firm was trying to sell.

In another email Eldridge also alleged to Mriya Aid board members that Leedham had profited from “our work.”

(Eldridge, a Canadian Forces lieutenant commander, stated her work with Mriya Aid is in her capacity as a civilian and not as a military officer.)

Lake emailed a response to Mriya Aid board members on July 22, 2022, which stated she concurred with Eldridge’s recommendations and noted the charity needed to sever its ties to Leedham.

Leedham confirmed to this newspaper he had signed non-disclosure contracts with some suppliers, which prevented him from releasing certain information. But he said that all work done directly for the charity was performed at cost. In some cases, Leedham claims he lost money having to cover various expenses.

In addition, Leedham said he has had no dealings with Project SIRIN.

In a response to this newspaper, Lake acknowledged the internal Mriya Aid communications but added it would be a misrepresentation to cite Eldridge’s emails in any manner. The emails, she said, “do not represent the position of Mriya Aid” since the organization was at that time still trying to sort out the NVG problems.

Lake said that Mriya Aid’s official response now to the situation is: “Mriya Aid is unable to comment on what the supplier said to other clients, or how he used his association with Mriya Aid to solicit orders. We are not aware of any instances where he used his association with us to solicit other orders.”

When Oleksii Manuilov, an American-Ukrainian businessman, was looking to help another charity, he contacted Leedham. Manuilov wanted to see what gear could be provided; Leedham mentioned the Royal Canadian Air Force could possibly help deliver the equipment.

Leedham told this newspaper he did suggest the RCAF could be involved, but that was because he was told by Lake of that possibility. Lake said in an interview she never made such claims. She noted she is strict about not associating her involvement in charity work with the Canadian Forces.

The U.S.-based charity Manuilov referred to Leedham did place orders for helmets, protective gear and drones. A representative of the charity confirmed Leedham did deliver an initial shipment but alleges the other orders, valued at $55,000, never arrived. (The charity asked not to be named to protect itself from adverse publicity).

The charity representative stated Leedham had not responded to any of their inquiries since August. The tracking number provided for the shipment was not functional, he added.

Leedham, however, told this newspaper all the equipment was sent to Poland but because charity didn’t have the proper paperwork and clearances in order, the gear was eventually returned to the supplier in Hong Kong. “It was their own lack of due diligence,” he explained.

The charity was informed it could retrieve the equipment it paid for if they pay the supplier to reship it, and cover the fees paid to have the gear sent back to Hong Kong, Leedham added.

Meanwhile, Mriya Aid started receiving emails from another group of Ukrainians who had asked Christina Katrakis for help in translating their concerns. Katrakis, the Ukrainian-American, explained that a deal had been made with Leedham to supply military equipment, but not all the gear had been received.

She contacted Mriya Aid because she said Leedham was the charity’s equipment supplier.

There were also concerns about second-hand protective vests collected by Leedham and sent by Mriya Aid as a donation.

Leedham told this newspaper that while there were delays, the Ukrainians received everything they ordered. He also noted he organized, at no cost, the donation of at least 60 used ballistic vests from Toronto police. Mriya Aid paid for the shipping of the vests and considered the donation part of its efforts to help Ukraine.

But once the equipment was received, the Ukrainians raised concerns the vests didn’t provide adequate protection.

Leedham said the Ukrainians were aware the vests were used equipment and limited in the amount of protection offered. He also noted the Ukrainians and Katrakis were complaining about something they received for free.

***

Another source of controversy for the Ottawa charity centered around an initiative pushed by some of its officials and supporters to create a nonprofit Mriya Aid in the U.S. That, in turn, could have potentially increased donations as it would give the organization the ability to issue tax receipts.

Mriya Aid had already attracted the attention of some well-connected Americans keen to help Ukraine. Betsy Mullen, who had made a name for herself in raising funds to battle breast cancer, had links with Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Adam Schiff in California. Impressed that Mriya Aid was being led by a serving Canadian military officer, Melanie Lake, Mullen offered to make introductions.

She set up an April 19 virtual meeting between Lake and staff from Feinstein and Schiff’s offices. Lake appeared in uniform during the meeting.

Lake told this newspaper she did not seek permission from the Canadian Forces leadership to meet with the staffers, but added that she emphasized during her appearance that her presence had nothing to do with the Canadian military.

Mullen eventually pulled back from the Canadian charity, concerned about what she was hearing in some quarters about the organization as well as unresolved questions about the proposed Mriya Aid USA.

She told this newspaper she now regrets donating money to the charity and linking its representatives with her U.S. political contacts.

Also involved in helping Mriya Aid’s potential expansion into America was David Leopold, a Cleveland lawyer and advisor on immigration for U.S. President Joe Biden’s transition team. Leopold had been asked by Mriya Aid officials and supporters to examine what would be needed for the creation of Mriya Aid USA.

Leopold was not the charity’s lawyer but he did agree to volunteer his personal time because of his support for Ukraine.

Over the course of several months, he had been communicating with Joseph Friedberg, a captain in the Canadian Forces.

Friedberg, an army reservist, described himself as a dear friend of Melanie Lake and noted he was one of a number of individuals who originally helped create Mriya Aid.

In an interview arranged by Mitch Leedham, Friedberg told this newspaper his charity work is done as a private individual, although he acknowledged for some of his meetings, he has appeared in his Canadian Army uniform. Friedberg also acknowledged that on at least one occasion he used his military email for charity-related work to contact Betsy Mullen.

But Leopold eventually distanced himself from Mriya Aid and its supporters. According to a report prepared for the charity’s board, Leopold couldn’t make any progress on the Mriya Aid USA initiative as critical information he required, such as proposed budget and mission statement, were never provided to him.

After Leopold stopped responding to Friedberg’s messages, the lawyer received what he described as harassing communications.

Friedberg acknowledged to this newspaper he was upset with Leopold because the U.S. lawyer was supportive of Walter Lekh, the Ukrainian doctor who was at odds with Mriya Aid and the Mriya Report. Friedberg denies his messages were harassing and provided copies to this newspaper to support his claim.

In the messages provided, he told the lawyer he was disappointed and surprised “that you’ve chosen not to reach out to me in a moment where I needed your counsel.” Friedberg messaged Leopold that his “heart broke.” He accused the lawyer of having abandoned him for Lekh.

Friedberg told Leopold he was “gullible.” He accused the lawyer of being “just as bad as Walter.” “You’re too stupid to figure it out,” Friedberg wrote Leopold.

After Friedberg sent Leopold a message that included a photo of some children, the lawyer said he advised the Canadian to stop sending him images of minors.

Freidberg said in an interview the children were his own kids and what he sent was an image of a threat he had allegedly received regarding the children. Freidberg claims Lekh was behind such threats but acknowledges he has no actual proof.

Lekh said Friedberg’s claims are false and ridiculous.

Leopold said the messages from Friedberg were disturbing and he told Melanie Lake of his concerns.

Lake told this newspaper Friedberg is supportive of Mriya Aid and has promoted the cause of the charity in broadcasts of the Mriya Report. But she noted he is not a volunteer with the organization. She later sent an email to this newspaper praising him.

Ultimately, the initiative started by charity officials to set up the Mriya Aid USA was abandoned.

***

Mriya Aid found itself again the centre of controversy in August when a social media battle broke out over some of the charity’s issues.

Ukrainian journalist Olga Khudetska raised the issue of the night vision equipment, posting on Twitter about Mriya Aid: “My personal impression is that a group of mostly foreign adventurers is parasitizing on the topic of our war and is conducting very murky activities,” she wrote.

Mriya Aid board member Alex Bakus challenged her claims. Khudetska pointed out the charity had an obligation both to its donors and to Ukrainian soldiers to deliver quality gear. “This is not your personal money, the funds were given by people to help Ukraine,” she wrote.

Mriya Aid denies the allegations that it improperly handled donor funds.

After Khudetska made allegations about Mriya Aid, Friedberg messaged her. In one message, Friedberg told Khudeska he had been informed she “said horrible lies about us.”

“Please do feel free to return the 1000s of dollars of kit I authorised to be sent to you,” he told her.

Khudetska informed Friedberg she would alert authorities about his behaviour, noting she was receiving calls in the middle of the night. Friedberg denied being involved in that. (Friedberg provided this newspaper with his copies of his messages to support his claim he wasn’t harassing the woman).

Khudetska told this newspaper Friedberg’s claim she had received thousands of dollars of equipment was false; she was only provided with a $100 vest designed to carry the bulletproof plates she already owned.

Friedberg admitted in an interview Khudetska never did receive thousands of dollars of donated gear.

By September most of the online controversy had settled down. But Christina Katrakis was still pressing Mriya Aid officials for the equipment she alleged the Ukrainians were still missing from the order they placed with Mitch Leedham.

The Ukrainians had sold off some of their possessions to raise the funds to buy radios and bulletproof vests for their loved ones on the frontlines, Katrakis told this newspaper. She argues that Mriya Aid was responsible for the missing equipment—which included ballistic plates, a radio and night vision goggles—because Leedham and his firm had been their supplier. In addition, she alleged Leedham highlighted his Mriya Aid connection.

Katrakis provided this newspaper with the email exchanges between herself and Mriya Aid that took place in September.

Even though the charity agreed to provide the equipment, Katrakis questioned why the Ukrainians were being billed US$5,433 for logistics services and shipping, claiming transport fees had already been paid to Leedham.

She argued Mriya Aid should take responsibility for the delivery cost and warned in an email she wouldn’t hesitate to go public “with this ridiculous handling of this issue by Mriya Aid and its supplier.”

She repeated to the charity that the Ukrainian families had sold some of their possessions to raise money for the equipment. “I wonder what will these families have to sell next to cover this fee – their kidneys in order to ‘do the right thing’ for Mriya Aid!” Katrakis wrote.

In an interview, Mriya Aid chairperson Melanie Lake acknowledged the exchange between Katrakis and a charity official. But Lake pointed out the charity had no obligation to help Katrakis as the order from the Ukrainian families was placed with Leedham before he was involved with Mriya Aid. In addition, the shipping fees had nothing to do with Mriya Aid, she added.

“Our feeling was that it was very convenient to amalgamate us all as one,” explained Lake. “It allowed her to hold us accountable both financially and morally for actions we were not associated with.”

Lake, who acknowledges that Katrakis is doing good work in Ukraine, accused the woman of trying to extort the charity with her threat to go to the news media.

Lake said Mriya Aid eventually provided the missing equipment to the Ukrainian families and covered all the costs, including shipping because they did not want them to be out of pocket for the equipment. “We bent over backwards to try to support (Katrakis) even though some of this had absolutely nothing to do with us,” she added.

The Mriya Aid board said it could not provide further comment to specific questions about the exchanges with Katrakis without this newspaper turning over the documentation it has gathered from various sources for this article.

A Nov. 30 email from the Mriya Aid board of directors noted this newspaper has “not shown any interest in how our organization started, how we do our work, what motivates us to volunteer so much of our time and effort and what results we are achieving.” The board added that the questions being asked by this newspaper are focused almost exclusively on allegations made by individuals “who are actively and maliciously trying to malign our organization and work.”

Lake in an emailed statement noted Mriya Aid continues to successfully support the Ukrainians with the purchase of drones and protective gear as well as training. “We hope to make a small but meaningful contribution through the generosity of donors to Ukraine’s defence as we see them as fighting on the frontline of democracy for all of us.”

An audit the charity released in November pointed out that none of the donated money was spent on administrative costs. Mriya Aid volunteers have covered operating costs out of pocket. Lake points out that the audit proved that allegations Mriya Aid was profiting from the war were baseless.

But Mriya Aid also acknowledged the audit showed there was no independent third party assessing the donated material as it was being shipped out.

In addition, in the wake of the issues surrounding Leedham and AusCan, the charity has now implemented a code of conduct: Mriya Aid suppliers cannot be Mriya Aid volunteers.

Mriya Aid critics question why such a code of conduct wasn’t in place right from the beginning.

Online the interactions over Mriya Aid continue. A Twitter account called “exposeproxies” regularly publishes various unproven allegations against Lekh, the Ukrainian doctor who first flagged concerns about the charity. Lekh’s supporters point to an extremely disturbing tweet from exposeproxies in which the individual behind the account admitted they have killed before and enjoyed it.

The exposeproxies account has also published unproven allegations about the Mriya Aid board director who had resigned because of concerns about those associated with the charity.

Lake noted on Twitter that Mriya Aid is not involved in any way with exposeproxies but added that the account is “highlighting the hypocrisy in the allegations of war profiteering against Mriya Aid.”

As for Katrakis, who continues to provide aid and support for about 5,000 Ukrainians, she said she doesn’t want anything to do with the Canadian charity moving forward.

Mriya Aid translates as Dream Aid in Ukrainian, she said. “The irony of it all – is that Mriya Aid, through its official suppliers, partners and representatives has become a ‘Nightmare Aid’ to many devastated civilian Ukrainian families and their loved ones at the front.”

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, subscribe: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

Ottawa Citizen

by Fascinator Thu 23 Feb 2023, 4:52 pm

Canadian Forces looking into role of military personnel involved with Mriya Report

Commentators on the Mriya Report, created by Canadian Forces Capt. Joseph Friedberg, denounced the Ukrainians who had raised concerns about some of the activities of the Ottawa-based charity Mriya

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

Published Feb 23, 2023

The Canadian Forces is looking into the role of military personnel in a fundraising group that has threatened to sue a Ukrainian medic and has launched online attacks on those raising questions about donations to Ukraine.

Commentators on the Mriya Report, created by Canadian Forces Capt. Joseph Friedberg, denounced the Ukrainians who had raised concerns about some of the activities of the Ottawa-based charity Mriya Aid.

“I think it is important to call them out because these are dastardly and disgusting acts,” Friedberg said of various critics of Mriya Aid during a Jan. 31 online audio commentary.

Friedberg was referring to allegations made by a number of Ukrainians to this newspaper and in online forums that some of the non-lethal equipment Mriya Aid delivered to Ukrainian troops was inadequate.

In addition, some Ukrainians allege an equipment supplier who had volunteered for Mriya Aid in the past didn’t deliver some of the equipment they paid for. One charity set up to help Ukrainians noted it did not receive $55,000 in gear it paid for from the individual who had volunteered for Mriya Aid, and who owns a military equipment supply firm.

Mriya Aid and the military equipment supplier have denied any wrongdoing.

Lt. Col. Melanie Lake, chairperson of Mriya Aid, also said the charity can’t be held responsible for the alleged actions of its one-time volunteer or any claims made against him by Ukrainians who ordered equipment from his firm.

The online commentary group, Mriya Report, raises funds for Mriya Aid. Friedberg has stated he created the Mriya Report and is also among those who originally helped create Mriya Aid.

Friedberg labelled Ukrainian journalist Olga Khudetska, who was among those raising concerns, as a “so-called” journalist. Khudestka, who is currently providing medical training to frontline Ukrainian units, also posted online a message she received from the Mriya Report.

“You’re done,” the online message noted. “Get a lawyer.”

Friedberg also claimed a Ukrainian doctor who criticized Mriya Aid was associated with the far right.

In addition, Friedberg called out U.S. lawyer David Leopold, who advised the transition team for U.S. President Joe Biden. Friedberg said Leopold was a “useful idiot” for retweeting the “insidious article” about Mriya Aid and suggested the high-profile lawyer and U.S. media commentator was somehow involved in illegal activities.

Friedberg did not respond to requests for comment on the claims he made against various Ukrainians and others. He later tweeted an acknowledgement that Khudestka is a journalist. The Mriya Report did not respond to requests for comment about the message sent to Khudestka.

Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier confirmed no Canadian Forces personnel have ever been authorized to be involved in the Mriya Report. Involvement in the fundraising group would require military personnel to submit conflict of interest documents which need to be examined by senior leaders for approval.

“We are currently looking at the website, its association with CAF members and its specific activities in order to determine next steps,” Le Bouthillier said.

“We expect that all members adhere to the Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces Code of Values and Ethics, specifically the obligation to act at all times with integrity, and in a manner that will bear the closest public scrutiny,” he added.

The offices of Defence Minister Anita Anand and defence chief Gen. Wayne Eyre noted they do not condone Friedberg’s comments.

Leopold issued a statement noting “Friedberg’s comments are so ridiculous as to not even merit a response other than to say they are patently false and denied. I am surprised that the Canadian Armed Forces would permit such behavior by an officer in its ranks.”

“I look forward to an equally public retraction and apology,” Leopold added.

Last year, Leopold raised concerns about Friedberg’s behaviour to Lt. Col. Melanie Lake, chairperson of Mriya Aid. Leopold has accused Friedberg of sending him harassing communications but the Canadian Forces captain has denied that allegation.

Lake, in a July 21, 2022 message to a Mriya Aid official, acknowledged concerns over Friedberg’s original interactions with Leopold. “My intent is to remove Joe from the organization and I’m seriously considering actions need (sic) to be taken from a CAF perspective as well,” she wrote.

But in a Nov. 16, 2022 statement to this newspaper, Lake said Leopold’s concerns did not allow her to conclude that any military service offence was committed by Friedberg. She said she handled the situation by making sure Friedberg stopped communicating with Leopold.

Ukrainians are also pushing back against the Mriya Report attacks aimed at Khudetska as well as other compatriots. “You DO NOT threaten and make up lies about Ukrainians,” wrote Melaniya Podolyak, who is associated with a large charity in Ukraine, on Twitter on Feb. 1. “You DO NOT threaten them with prosecution by the very legal entities they themselves helped build and reform in Ukraine.”

Kateryna Halushka, another Ukrainian who provides medical assistance on the front lines, tweeted that she helped Mriya Aid raise $20,000 for tourniquets that were never delivered to her group, the Hospitallers. She alleged on Twitter that Friedberg, Lake and other Mriya Aid staff labelled the group as neo-Nazis “in order not to give a single penny of the funds they collected for us.”

In a previous interview with this newspaper, Friedberg claimed Ukrainian doctor Walter Lekh, who has also criticized Mriya Aid, is a member of the far-right and that the Hospitallers are neo-Nazis.

Lekh has called such claims ridiculous. In 2014 the Hospitallers were associated with Ukraine’s right sector but has since left those associations behind and is well respected for saving thousands of Ukrainian lives during the war, he added.

In response to Halushka’s allegations, Melanie Lake told this newspaper that tourniquets were ordered by Mriya Aid but there were delays. At that time, Mriya Aid was no longer in communications with the Hospitallers medical battalion, she added. The tourniquets were eventually distributed to other units, according to Lake. A new order of tourniquets has been placed and those will be delivered to the Hospitallers, she added.

Lake noted she never said or implied the Hospitallers were neo-Nazis. She stated she supports the work the medical battalion does.

In an online statement, Mriya Aid noted it is separate from the Mriya Report, although the two groups cooperate. “Mriya Aid bears no responsibilities for what Mriya Report representatives say or do,” the statement noted.

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