Ukraine to buy Canadian sniper rifles - ambassador

Ukraine is at the final stage of acquiring Canadian sniper rifles, Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko has said. 

"Following Canada's decision to add Ukraine to the Automatic Firearms Country Control List, some Canadian companies have taken advantage of new opportunities in Ukraine. As it became known, we are approaching the closing of an agreement on the supply of sniper rifles," he said during hearings at the Canadian Parliament's Standing Committee on National Defense.

At the same time, he said he was confident that Canada and Ukraine "should consider more ways of cooperation." 

"Direct supplies from Canadian companies to the Ukrainian government are great, but we can move further. We would like Canada to see this as a necessary and profitable joint investment. This will help us protect Europe, and Canadian companies will get a fair share of the market," the ambassador said.

Shevchenko added that Ukraine would like to see Canada "follow the example of the United States and allocate funds for the supply of weapons and equipment to Ukraine."

Last year, Canada included Ukraine in the so-called Automatic Firearms Country Control List, thus revoking a de-facto arms embargo on Ukraine.

op