Sanctions Fail: Russian Snipers Wield Canadian Rifles

Silhouette of a person holding a rifle against a cloudy sky

Canadian-made precision rifles are being used by Russian snipers against Ukrainian forces despite comprehensive sanctions, exposing massive gaps in Canada’s export control enforcement that directly undermine our allies in their fight for freedom.

Story Highlights

Quebec-based Cadex Defence rifles documented in Russian military units despite July 2023 export ban
Elite sniper rifles reaching Russian front lines through complex networks involving Italy, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan
Canadian weapons used by decorated Russian sniper credited with 100 kills against Ukrainian forces
Foreign Minister Anita Anand announces investigation after opposition critics slam enforcement failures

Sanctions Regime Falls Apart Under Liberal Watch

The Trump administration inherits yet another foreign policy disaster from the previous Canadian Liberal government. Despite imposing a comprehensive export ban on military equipment to Russia in July 2023, Canadian-manufactured Cadex Defence sniper rifles continue reaching Russian military units through sophisticated third-country networks. These precision weapons, significantly more powerful than standard Russian sniper rifles, are now being used against the very Ukrainian forces America supports in their fight for sovereignty.

The scale of this enforcement failure is staggering. Investigative reporting by Global News and The Insider revealed that Cadex Tremor 416 Barrett rifles are not only in Russian hands but openly displayed at Moscow’s firearms exhibitions and available for retail purchase. This represents an organized supply network, not isolated incidents of sanctions evasion.

Complex Criminal Networks Exploit Weak Border Controls

Russian forces are receiving these advanced weapons through intermediaries in the United States, Kazakhstan, Italy, and Kyrgyzstan. The Cadex rifles maintain supersonic velocity at distances up to 1,700 meters and deliver muzzle energy over three times greater than Russia’s standard Dragunov SVD rifles. This gives Putin’s snipers a devastating advantage against Ukrainian defenders who are counting on Western support.

Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael Chong highlighted the broader pattern of Liberal failures: “Yet under the Liberals, we’ve seen detonators used in Russian landmines, turbines shipped for Russian pipelines and avionics supplied for Russian drones — all helping Putin’s war effort.” The rifle scandal represents just the latest example of how weak enforcement allows American enemies to access Western military technology.

Government Response Reveals Systemic Incompetence

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand’s response was telling in its inadequacy. When confronted with evidence of Canadian weapons being used against Ukrainian forces, she merely stated she was “looking into this issue.” This passive approach reflects the kind of bureaucratic inertia that has characterized liberal governance on national security matters.

Even more concerning, Canada has brought only one sanctions evasion charge despite documented evidence of multiple supply routes. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested Toronto resident Anton Trofimov in May 2025 for supplying drone parts to Russia, but this single prosecution against a backdrop of widespread violations demonstrates either limited enforcement capacity or deliberate negligence.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress characterized the situation as “a shocking revelation” and criticized Canadian sanctions enforcement as “lacking and ineffectual.” When Ukrainian Ambassador Andrii Plakhotniuk calls for “tighter monitoring and end-user controls,” it exposes how America’s allies have lost confidence in liberal governments’ ability to maintain basic security protocols.