• Ar
  • Es
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Feature
  • Videos
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Feature
Videos
Infographs
In Pictures
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Europe
  4. Experts warn arms for Ukraine could have disastrous consequences
Europe

Experts warn arms for Ukraine could have disastrous consequences

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 May 2022 23:06
  • 9 Shares

Western nations have increased weapon and ammunition shipments to Ukraine, and experts warn that some of the "lethal aid" may wind up in the wrong hands.

  • Experts warn arms for Ukraine could end up in wrong hands
    Experts warn arms for Ukraine could end up in the wrong hands.

After the US Senate overwhelmingly advanced on Monday a $40-billion package of aid for Ukraine against Russia, experts warned that some of the "lethal aid" from the West may wind up in the wrong hands.

Ukraine, in particular, has a history of being a hotspot of the arms trade throughout the 1990s, raising concerns among those who monitor illegal movements.

Nils Duquet, a researcher and director of the Flemish Peace Institute stated that "there are very significant risks associated to the proliferation of weapons in Ukraine at the moment, in particular regarding small arms and light weapons."

Western nations, most notably the US, have continuously pumped weapons into Kiev's army.

The US-based Stimson Center think-tank said in March that "while the response to provide more weapons to Ukraine is understandable..., it would be prudent to consider the immediate and long-term security implications."

Hinting specifically at small arms, it added, "We’ve seen time and time again how arms aimed at aiding an ally in one conflict have found their way to the frontlines of unforeseen battlefields, often in the hands of groups at odds with US interests or those of civilians."

Existential threat

Following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, numerous weapons stored in Ukraine were transported to other nations and combat zones across the world.

Read more: US weapons to Ukraine “in a big black hole” - US official

According to the Geneva-based Institute of International and Development Studies' Small Arms Survey (SAS), 300,000 light weapons were stolen or lost between 2013 and 2015, with just 4,000 recovered since then.

Rather than being exported overseas as in the 1990s, the SAS discovered that the majority of these ended up on the illegal market within Ukraine.

SAS researcher Matt Schroeder speculated that "the unresolved conflict in the eastern part of the country and general anxiety towards local security conditions" could be why the demand for weapons has increased among normal citizens.

He added that "collecting these weapons and disposing of them properly would be an overwhelming challenge for any government, let alone one that is still fighting an existential threat."

Even before the present war, the inspector general of the US military questioned the amount of surveillance of weaponry transferred to Ukraine in 2020.

The Center for Civilians in Conflict (CivicAnnie)'s Shiel cautioned that "there has been very little transparency around what risk mitigation or monitoring steps the US and other countries sending weapons to Ukraine have taken if any... to ensure the protection of civilians".

The aid organization has demanded that deliveries be linked to human rights pledges and that guns be tracked after they are handed over.

Others believe the task to be impossible.

According to Nils Duquet, "It's an illusion to think that in a context of war you can actually have control of weapons there. We know that many weapons will not return to the official forces but they will remain in the region for many years."

Duquet drew attention to former Yugoslavia where even though some success was made, many weapons are still being smuggled across Europe.

One top French military official suggested a heinous consequence.

Referring to US-made anti-tank missiles, he stated, "We'll be laughing on the other side of our faces once we're seeing bank robberies with Javelins."

  • United States
  • Russia
  • Ukraine
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Trending Now

All
Facts indicate NATO involved in Kiev attacks on Russia: Official

Facts indicate NATO involved in Kiev attacks on Russia: Official

Most Read

Indonesian president Joko Widodo during an interview in Jakarta in 2016 (Reuters)

Widodo urges Indonesia to abandon Visa, MasterCard to be 'independent'

  • Asia
  • 16 Mar
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen listens to opening remarks before testifying before the Senate Finance Committee about the President's proposed budget request for the fiscal year 2024, Thursday, March 16, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)

US Debt ceiling ‘must be raised’ ahead of default: Treasury Secretary

  • US & Canada
  • 16 Mar
Rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

Peace rallies held in Washington DC to protest US militarism

  • US & Canada
  • 18 Mar
Poland

Poland may end up 'joining' Ukraine war: Polish Ambassador to France

  • Europe
  • 20 Mar

Read this

All
In this picture released by an official website of the office of the Iranian leader, Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei makes a public address at the northeastern city of Mashhad, Iran, March 21, 2023 (Office of the Iranian leader via AP)
Asia

US sparked Ukraine war to expand NATO: Iranian leader Sayyed Khamenei

  • Today
Iraqi Army M1A1 Abrams tanks, purchased from the US, maneuver during a live fire exercise outside Baghdad, Iraq, October 18, 2011 (AP)
Europe

US expediting delivery of M1A1 Abrams tanks, Patriot system to Ukraine

  • 21 Mar
A general view of the illegal Israeli settlement of 'Efrat' in the occupied West Bank, occupied Palestine, January 30, 2023 (AP)
Palestine

'Israel' repeals law that sanctioned four West Bank settlements

  • 21 Mar
Russia, China sign joint statement on deepening strategic partnership
Europe

Russia, China sign joint statement on deepening strategic partnership

  • 21 Mar
Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS