In a letter to his Canadian counterpart last month, Ukraine's defence minister asked for more combat vehicles over and above the 39 armoured troop carriers and eight lightly armoured Roshel tactical vehicles that Canada has either promised or delivered.

When Defence Minister Anita Anand announced this week an additional $47 million in military aid for Ukraine, she made no mention of additional combat vehicles or the howitzers the Ukrainians also requested.

"Not making decisions on the armoured vehicles, on the tanks that could be protecting our military personnel, it [is] just unexplainable," said Sovsun, a sitting MP with the liberal, pro-European Holos party. She is also a member of the Ukrainian parliament's energy committee.

"There are no good reasons for that and I want to hear an explanation as to why this is taking place."