Ukraine intel head admits there are no signs China plans to arm Russia
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Ukraine's head of military intelligence dismissed US and Ukrainian claims that China is considering furnishing arms to Russia.
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Major General Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the Military Intelligence of Ukraine, in Kiev, Ukraine June 25, 2022 (Reuters)
After the US accused China of supplying weapons and ammunition to Russia for the Ukraine war, Ukraine's head of military intelligence dismissed claims that China is considering furnishing arms to Russia, stressing that he saw no "signs that such things are even being discussed" in an interview with US media.
But when asked about the possibility in a lengthy interview with Voice of America published on Monday, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said, "I do not share this opinion."
"As of now, I do not think that China will agree to the transfer of weapons to Russia," he said. "I do not see any signs that such things are even being discussed."
Asked specifically about the US claims, Budanov said, "I am the head of intelligence and I rely, with all due respect, not on the opinions of individual people, but only on facts. I do not see such facts."
Responding to a question on where Russia could still procure arms, Budanov claimed that apart from unconfirmed reports of shipments from North Korea, "almost the only country that actually transfers more or less serious weapons is Iran."
Budanov, through his statements, slammed claims by one of their own, the head of the presidential office of Ukraine, Andrii Yermak, who just yesterday made bold threats against China for allegedly aiming to supply arms to Russia following US claims about the matter.
Top US officials claimed on Sunday that they were "confident" Beijing was considering sending lethal technology to Russia and that a diplomatic campaign was in place to discourage it.
Beijing denied the charges and accused Washington of disseminating misinformation.
In stark contrast to Blinken's early remarks, the White House's National Security Advisor said Sunday that "at this point" they have "not seen them take the step of providing weapons" to Moscow.
Washington's comments come at a time of strained ties with Beijing, which have been recently put to the test by the United States shooting down a suspected Chinese balloon over its airspace.
Since the beginning of the war in #Ukraine, the #West has sent an insane amount of weapons to #Kiev. Here's a list of weapons supplied to Kiev in the midst of the Ukraine war with #Russia. pic.twitter.com/XcFv9dumOb
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 27, 2023
Meanwhile, Washington was able to quickly forge an international coalition to back Kiev, providing tens of billions of dollars in military supplies, training Ukrainian troops, and imposing sanctions against Moscow.
Total military assistance from the United States and other countries amounts to at least $45 billion, as per media reports.
Read more: West wants to be done with Russia, seeks proxy war in Europe: Putin
