Just two months after the State Department approved the sale, Ukraine has reported the receipt of their first FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles from the United States. President Poroshenko confirmed the “long-awaited weapons” have arrived.
The $47 million deal for Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, involves 37 Javelin Command Launch Units and 210 missiles. The Poroshenko government says the missiles will be used to “protect Ukrainian soldiers.”
There are substantial concerns, however, that the US arms are going to threaten the ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine. With better arms, Ukriane’s military may believe they can more readily take on rebels in the area who have looted some tanks and other armored vehicles.
Concern about arms sales restarting the war in the east is a big part of why Russia opposed the sale. East Ukraine’s rebels are ethnic Russians, and many in the Ukrainian government have presented the fight against those rebels as the start of a war against Russia.
Most nations are avoiding the sale of deadly arms to Ukraine specifically over concern it would destabilize the region. The US, however, was never particularly supportive of the eastern ceasefire, and has been eager to sell new arms to Ukraine as part of a general anti-Russia push in the region.
“There are substantial concerns, however, that the US arms are going to threaten the ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine” Of course-that is why they are there. There is no occasion the USA will miss to cause mayhem and death.
Always against Russia the most Christian country in Europe . Maybe Russia could sell some bazookas to Mexico to knock down the border walls Trump is trying to build .
Good on you, mate!
Russia attacked, invaded, occupied and annexed Crimea, because Russia was “pissed” that Ukrainians kicked out the Russian puppet Yanukovich. Since it could not control Ukraine through a puppet president, Russia decided to invade, disrupt and attempt to dismember Ukraine.
The Javalins will make Russia think twice about trying a “blitzkrieg” with armor from Crimea, Donbas and the northern Ukrainian border to finish off Ukrainian aspirations for freedom and independence.