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Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Wednesday she was investigating how the Canadian rifles ended up in the hands of Russian snipers.
The minister made the announcement after Global News reported that Quebec-made weapons prized by snipers were turning up in Russia despite sanctions.
“In fact, I am investigating this issue and others at the moment,” Anand, whose department is responsible for sanctions, told reporters in response to a question about the report.
He said Canada had one of the most advanced military export controls in the world and that “we will be monitoring and taking these types of claims very seriously.”
Global News’ investigation found that Canadian rifles are increasingly appearing in photos on Russian social media channels.
While some of the weapons were identified as having been captured on the battlefield, others appeared new and still had their product tags.
Russian social media channels also show Canadian-made rifles used by decorated snipers who fought against Ukraine, one of whom was credited with 100 kills.
The rifles’ maker, Cadex Defense, said its company did not export to Russia and strictly followed Canada’s export laws.
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After investigating the issue, the company said it traced 10 rifles identified in Russian customs documents to a shipment it sent to the U.S. and then cut off the American buyer.
A senior government source said the Canadian government had issued only one permit to export to Russia, in 2013, for a rifle stock, not a firearm.
“The Cadex rifles in Russian hands were possibly acquired through battlefield losses by Ukrainian forces who are being supplied with some Cadex rifles, or through illicit acquisitions through third countries,” the source said.
Although sanctions imposed after President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine prohibit selling weapons to Russia, it has still been able to acquire weapons by moving imports through several countries.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada, Andrii Plakhotniuk, said a “thorough investigation” was warranted whenever weapons or other military goods or technology had reached Russia.
“Ukraine fully supports the continued strengthening of the sanctions regime, including stricter monitoring and end-user controls, to prevent the aggressor state from obtaining dual-use weapons or technologies and deprive Moscow of possibilities to circumvent sanctions,” he said.
Opposition foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said it was the federal government’s responsibility to ensure Canadian military products do not fall into the hands of adversaries.
“However, under the Liberals, we have seen detonators used on Russian landmines, turbines shipped for Russian oil pipelines, and avionics supplied for Russian drones, all of which helped Putin’s war effort,” he said.
He said the government has “failed” to deliver on its promises to tighten enforcement of sanctions and must ensure that “our military exports do not end up helping Putin wage war against Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, the NDP said it was “deplorable” that Canadian weapons had gone to Russia and called on the government to “improve and truly enforce sanctions against Russia.”
“Transit countries, or transit companies, should not be used to ignore or evade sanctions and legal obligations,” said foreign affairs critic Alexandre Boulerice.
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca
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