The chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), Kyrylo Budanov, called on Canada to hand over decommissioned CRV7 missiles to Ukraine, noting that it would be a win-win situation for both sides.
Budanov made an unexpected offer to Canada
The DIU chief proposes that Canada transfer missiles intended for disposal to Ukraine.
He stated this in an interview with Global News.
Budanov noted that the transfer to Ukraine of decommissioned CRV7 missiles, which are stored at the ammunition depot in Dandurna in the amount of more than 83 thousand units and are awaiting disposal, would help Ukraine fight off Russian forces and would save Canadian taxpayers the costs of their destruction.
We hope it will be a win-win situation, he said.
Budanov said the CRV7 would be used in both Ukrainian attack helicopters and ground launchers to engage Russian tanks and artillery. According to him, Ukraine has discussed this issue with Canada but is still waiting for a decision.
Canadian officials said they were considering the request but warned that the missiles were decades old and could have become unstable, making them dangerous to use and transport.
Ukraine is ready to take risks because it is used to working with old ammunition, such as CRV7.
We are not worried, Budanov commented.
Those missiles that no longer function will be disassembled for spare parts for the production of Ukrainian drones.
We need a lot of equipment, and ammunition, and artillery ammunition — a lot of types of equipment, — emphasised the DIU chief.
But a Canadian military official said, in addition to concerns about whether the missiles can be safely airlifted, handing them over to Ukraine would mean ending a contract with a private disposal company that is already building a special facility for the job.
Experts interviewed by Global News said rocket fuel has a limited shelf life and can go bad after many years.
However, since CRV7s use solid fuel, they can be safe if stored properly and not exposed to moisture or contamination.
Asked if he is concerned that Ukraine's allies are losing interest in the conflict after two years of war, Budanov said:
It's not a TV show, like it or not. This is war.
The situation near Bakhmut and in the south
The DIU chief Kyrylo Budanov said that the offensive operation in the south will continue as long as Ukraine has the resources.
In parallel with this, of course, there are operations to de-occupy Bakhmut. We recently got back Klischyivka, which looks like it's a very small [plot of] land, but it's important because it's on a hill overlooking another area.
According to Budanov, the next step will be blocking all supply routes to Bakhmut.
Practically, this operation that we are conducting is very similar to the Russian one that took Bakhmut. With the only difference that they still led those frontal attacks on the city, which led to very large losses in manpower. We will not do that. We will try to surround the city, and only after it is surrounded, we will enter the city.
Budanov was asked whether the operation in Bakhmut aimed to restrain the Russian forces and prevent them from strengthening the Berdyansk and Melitopol directions.
Of course, and it brought the result we wanted. For example, the Russians recently redeployed their only reserve — the 25th Army, which was recently created and has not yet completed its creation. Now it has been relocated approximately north of Bakhmut, and it is there that they plan to bury him.
The 25th Army has about 15,000 men. According to Budanov, the threat to the Russians of losing Bakhmut forces them to constantly redeploy additional forces to the city area, which of course depletes their resources from other directions, such as the south.
