Canada will provide Ukraine $350 million to purchase air defence interceptors as Russia intensifies its attacks on Ukrainian cities, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Thursday during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Calgary.
The new funding is intended to address Ukraine’s critical shortage of air defence equipment. Canada will also join a European effort to develop a high-volume interceptor for Russian ballistic missiles, Carney said.
The announcements come as Ukraine faces a rapidly changing aerial threat. In the past few weeks, Russia has added jet-powered Shahed drones to its arsenal.
These drones are faster and more manoeuvrable than the Shahed drones first unveiled by Iran in 2023. They enable Russia to launch waves of attacks during the day, when visibility is clear.
Toma Istomina, a Kyiv-based journalist, says the capital city is now under air-raid alerts about nine hours a day.
“That basically means that you live with this kind of constant sense of danger,” said Istomina.
“You either stop your life completely or you continue to live … go to work, bring your kids to school, go grocery shopping … but that means that you take this risk constantly.”
Istomina says there is currently no technology to stop jet‑powered Shaheds, although Ukraine is testing new potential interceptors.
At the same time, Russia has ramped up its use of rocket-powered ballistic missiles.
The Iskander-M can travel at more than 7,000 kilometres per hour, while the Kinzhal can reach Mach 10, or about 12,350 kilometres per hour. At such speeds, these missiles can reach Kyiv within minutes, leaving civilians little time to seek shelter.
“There is no choice of making the decision [to go to a shelter] during the night if your shelter is not literally minutes away,” said Istomina.
Russia used just over 70 ballistic missiles against Ukraine in all of 2023, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. By contrast, in July alone, Russia launched nearly 200.
The escalation in attacks comes just as children are returning to school.
Istomina says her nephew had only one day this week when he was able to complete all four classes without interruption.
“It’s definitely a new chapter in the war,” she said.
‘Most important thing’
Russia’s new aerial campaign has been a top priority during Zelenskyy’s visit to Canada, which has included stops in Calgary, Toronto and North Bay, Ont.
“The biggest threat and the biggest challenge for us is ballistic attacks,” Zelenskyy said Thursday during the joint press conference with Carney.
“And the most important thing is air defense.”
Patriot missile interceptors, which Ukraine has received primarily by the U.S., remain among its most effective defences against ballistic missiles.
But Kyiv faces a critical shortage of the interceptors needed to operate them. Since 2025, the Trump administration has stopped announcing new aid packages for Ukraine. The U.S. has also seen its own Patriot stocks depleted by the war with Iran.
In response, European allies have stepped up their support. Germany announced additional Patriot interceptors this week, and the U.K. pledged £100 million for Ukrainian air defence on Tuesday. France has also accelerated deliveries of its SAMP/T-NG system, a European air defence system capable of intercepting ballistic and cruise missiles.
But European support has not fully replaced the U.S. assistance Ukraine relied on to protect its cities.
Canada’s newly announced assistance aims to further address the shortfall. The $350 million pledged Thursday will enable Ukraine to acquire air defence interceptors through JUMPSTART, a program through which allies purchase American-made weapons for Ukraine.
Carney also announced Thursday that Canada will join Project Freya, a longer-term European effort to develop more advanced anti-ballistic defence systems that are cheaper than U.S.-made Patriot missiles.
Carney said Canada will contribute Canadian technology to the effort, with development expected to take “months, not decades.”
The two leaders also signed documents surrounding a larger partnership.
“Canada and Ukraine are looking beyond this war to the century ahead. President Zelenskyy and I have just signed a declaration for [a] 100‑year partnership,” said Carney.
“In the coming months, we’ll codify a long‑term framework for cooperation across defense and security, trade and investment, reconstruction, energy, critical minerals, and technology.
“Ukrainians helped build Canada, and Canadians will help rebuild Ukraine.”
In Ukraine, Istomina longs for peace.
Her mother has been undergoing cancer treatment during the war. Recovery is difficult when the conditions needed to heal — sleep, rest and a sense of safety — are repeatedly disrupted.
“Trying to recover, and already being in this very weak state … and then you add to that interrupted sleep because of attacks and all the stress because of the news,” Istomina said.
“Of course, it doesn’t make it easier to recover.”
