Who is fueling the Ukraine war with guns?

Analyze

Artillery, drones, rockets, machine guns, cluster bombs, tanks – use of weapon systems War in Ukraine It is versatile. Day after day, the Russian armed forces waste millions of euros in wars of aggression to maintain their positions or gain ground.

Against this backdrop, the question often arises: Where do they come from? Waffen And ammo?

Before the invasion Russia Allowed in pieces. The country is largely isolated from February 24, 2022: most countries have completely suspended economic ties. The same applies to the arms trade.

Still, it looks like Russia hasn’t run out of powder. So who takes care of the warrior?

A search for clues shows that many more war supplies are being sent to Russia under the guise of commercial supply chains.

Russia

Russia was one of the world’s leading arms exporters until before its war of aggression – shortly after it began. The military expert and colonel explained that in some areas, the country is even ahead of the West. D. Ralph Thiele in a conversation with Portal in December “web.de”.

Now, when Watson is asked, he says that may have changed. “Russia no longer exports – except to Africa, where Wagner mercenaries are still active.” Otherwise, the country has shifted to a war economy. This means that many commercial manufacturers now supply the arms industry.

“Russia can produce 40 battle tanks a month,” says Thiel. And: “If you add upgrades from older models, double that. The West, even with the US, is far behind.”

In addition, Jane’s, the defense intelligence service, believes that Russia has been amassing artillery-like weapons for decades. The country never committed itself to disarmament, allowing it to manufacture and stockpile war equipment for decades without interruption.

Destroyed Russian tanks are on display in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.Bild: imago images / ZUMA Wire

Nevertheless, the country needs many components from abroad to manufacture weapons. This includes microchips. Thiele explains that in the past, almost two-thirds of the chips for high-tech weapons came from the United States, Japan, South Korea, but also from there. France And Deutschland came It is now unclear where they come from. However, it is certain that the supplies of the past still help the country to build weapons today.

Nevertheless, the war industry could not be sustained any time soon. After all, in the last 16 months, Russia has lost a lot of combat equipment in the war.

North Korea

Dictatorship under ruler and supreme leader Kim Jong-un Has a large inventory of artillery shells and rockets. It is assumed that the country supplies Russia.

It also explains why the war feels like World War I or World War II. Many experts were surprised that most attacks near the front were limited to artillery. AI expert Frank Sauer had it Interview Explained with Watson.

The United Nations report indicates that the two countries are significantly deepening their cooperation. How Russia supplies oil – North Korea Responds with gunfire. In November 2022, the government delivered missiles and rockets to the Wagner group. Reuters news agency reported. Since the Wagner Group no longer exists Ukraine In practice, this trade is likely to spread to the Russian military.

North Korea is also suspected of supplying ammunition to Russia. About long guns. North Korean long guns use the same calibers as Russian Kalashnikovs.

Iran

Ukraine shot down the first Iranian drone in September. Since then, Russia has continued to increase its drone strikes. Iran It initially refused to hand over its Mohajer-6 and Shahed-136 to Russia, but investigations by various authorities painted a very different picture.

Ukrainian security forces continue to examine parts of drones that have been shot down or have already caused havoc and destruction. It is clearly an Iranian weapon of war. And the Secret Services The America And England See signs of arms trade between the two states.

Iranian Shahed-136 in the sky over Kiev.Photo: AP / Efrem Lukatsky

Lloyd’s List Intelligence suspects the information service trades mainly under the guise of distributing consumer goods. At the same time, the ships suddenly disappear from the radar – that explains it Keep going In his analysisAugmented from summer 2022.

“Sea trade between Iran and Russia through the Caspian Sea is increasing, a suspected route for arms exports,” the information service writes. Vessels engaged in this trade routinely do so with automatic identification system signals switched off and data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence. July 2022 saw a significant increase in deliveries.

Turkey itself

Turkish manufacturers are also thought to be bringing drones to Russia. However, they vehemently deny any rumours.

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has positioned himself well here,” Thiel says. “Apparently he didn’t deliver any weapons, but thanks to the corrupt system he set up, delivery ships could be repacked in Turkey and on the high seas.”

Meaning: Arms about Syria From Iran or through the Black Sea from Iran to the Black Sea is reloaded to Russia especially in Turkey.

China

“China does not officially want to supply weapons, but it helps Russia with dual-use components”, Thiel explains. With dual-use components, the specialist has chips used for many electronic devices – but also for high-tech weapons. But conventional drones are also a part of it – an aircraft that any private family can buy for themselves. “Most drones built are for personal use,” says Thiel.

These could then be used for espionage, for example, but at the same time could be fitted with explosives.

This is consistent with reports from Ukrainian officials who have been finding more Chinese components in Russian missiles for months.

If

Basically, military expert Thiele says, one must also assume that corrupt countries will find ways to trade arms with Russia. Even if it means kidnapping. Many states including China And India is dissatisfied with the Western world order because it gives economic and power-political advantages to the West and wants to make things difficult for the West,” he explains.

This is shown by the fact that commercial trade with Russia continues and dual-use components appear in weapons systems.