Anti-tank missiles were the centerpiece of western arms shipments to Ukraine earlier in the war. New indications are that the focus is shifting to shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles (MANPADS), with the US and NATO getting as many as they can into the Ukraine.
The expectation is that the MANPADS will offer Ukraine substantial anti-aircraft capacity. Shipping a lot of MANPADS into a country is always a danger, because if they end up in the wrong hands they could threaten civilian airliners, and after the wars they tend to go missing into the global black market.
That’s been a problem more than a few times, with the US shipping MANPADS into Afghanistan during the Soviet War, only to lose control of many of them. The most recent concerns were in the NATO regime change in Libya, where Libya’s huge cache of MANPADS were looted and sold across the region
Both NATO and the airline industry are largely mum on the threats posed by such missiles. Russian officials are noting that the west is “grossly ignoring” a number of international agreements designed to prevent MANPADS proliferation.
Senior US officials say its a “risk worth taking,” which is easy to say since the risk of proliferation is chiefly in Europe, and the US has ample experience in ditching responsibility for unintended, albeit easily-predictable, blowback.
It seems that the missiles are being used as a replacement for the warplanes Ukraine sought, and which the US feared would be seen as too big of an escalation. The assumption seems to be MANPADS are less of a risk in that regard.
Either way, it’s no secret what NATO is doing, and it sets a precedent where Russia or others might distribute MANPADS in other proxy wars they might want to get involved in.
From what I understand, Russia is firing from within Russia. And, Russia is not using drones, Ukraine is (from Turkey). Of course, we have the vast experience in using drones, and it is conceivable that we have relayed that information to Turkey, and other allies. Does this make us even more complicit?
Russia has drones > https://www.rt.com/russia/551815-drone-strike-ukraine-rocket-launcher/
Our governments have created a category of “enemy combatants” for civilians who participate in combat. Is that concept applicable to the war in Ukraine?
Considering Ukraine civilians are carrying molotov cocktails hoping to literally burn Russian soldiers alive with them, yes, of course they should be considered enemy combatants.
Manpads are a tech package with a finite life. After a certain number of months the guidance system fails. That’s why proliferation has not been a problem. If this war ends w/o the world blowing its fine self up it would be instructive to see a sales report from American defense contractors.
It’s amazing how the west was expecting a full scale invasion. But Russia had a different plan. Someone should burn the tired old playbook.
Better make that sanitary pads from the way Ukraine is going.
Not to mention that none of this is going to affect the outcome of the war, nor enable any “insurgency”. It’s just for show.
And that’s the deadly genius of short range missiles, none of these manpads will be much of a use if there are no targets to fire on.
Please no “the Ukraine”. This was a plague in the English language some decades back, including “the Brazil” and “the Albania”. I guess to make it sound more archaic and therefore interesting. But there is nothing in the name of the countries that would require a “the” in English.
Russian is getting their butts handed to them. Put the mighty army (should say inept army) against a poor smaller country and now are paying the price. Most of you here don’t care watching Russia annihilates Ukraine with air bombing, artillery, and long range missiles. It’s ok if you are a Putin lover but sorry, the rest of us will support Ukraine.
Make up your mind. You say Russia is getting their butts handed to them and then you say Russia is annihilating Ukraine with air bombing, artillery, and long-range missiles. If you’re going to troll, at least do it right.
And what about NATO annihilating Iraq ,Libya ,Syria , Afghanistan,cosovo , ect ect ect ?, people like you make me sick , it`s as tho NATOs grand tour of the M.E never happened , hundreds of thousands of civilians killed , and i don`t remember Britian or Europe offering to house refugees from the region either , perhaps it`s because they aren`t WHITE BLUE EYED CHRISTIANS , THE BRITS ARE HIPOCRITES JUST AS THE EUROPEANS ARE .HIPOCRITES
Butts handed to them, but Russia annihilates Ukraine – will you get your story straight?
“It seems that the missiles are being used as a replacement for the warplanes Ukraine sought, and which the US feared would be seen as too big of an escalation. The assumption seems to be MANPADS are less of a risk in that regard.”
And a bigger escalation might not keep the war going. And that, after all, is the goal.
The manpads will be stored in warehouses that would be captured by Russians…! Lol…
Sold on the black market.
Or give them to Separatists in the east…!
Manpads soon to be taken out with hyper sonic misslies
Ukraine is infested with corruption. The weapons will find their way to the black market for sure and some may wind up in the USA via some disgruntled people.
Follow the money.