Russia and Ukraine are already on the brink of war as Kiev continues to want
to join NATO despite Moscow withdrawing some of its 130,000 troops at the
border between the two countries.
As the situation became more critical, NATO countries had supplied weapons
to Kiev. Almost every day, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov posts
new photos on his Twitter account, always showing huge transport planes
crammed with huge heavy crates.
Inside the chest were weapons and ammunition that the United States and
Britain had sent to Ukraine. Its aim is to strengthen Ukraine in the face of
a massive buildup of Russian troops on its borders.
According to the Ukrainian government, Western partners have provided Kiev
with $1.5 billion in military assistance.
However, Germany has so far refused to send weapons to Ukraine. The
following is a list of countries that have supplied weapons to Ukraine:
1. United States
Since 2019, the US has supplied Ukraine with Javelin launchers and missile
systems. Information on the exact amount varies.
However, since the fall of 2021 alone, hundreds of US missiles have likely
been delivered to Ukraine. The American government has also given permission
to the Baltic states to transfer Javelin missiles from their stockpile to
Kiev.
The Javelin is considered the most advanced anti-tank weapon in the world.
It can attack targets such as armored vehicles or bunkers from a distance of
over 2,000 meters (approximately 6,500 feet).
The Javelin can also destroy heavy tanks with a "top strike" on its roof,
where armor protection is least.
2. English
The country has supplied NLAW missiles. This weapon has a shorter range.
London recently provided Ukraine with around 2,000 NLAW missiles. However,
the total number of weapons supplied by London to Kiev was not confirmed.
"This system is what we need most," said Mykola Bielieskov of the National
Institute for Strategic Studies in Kiev, an institute that advises the
Ukrainian president on security issues.
"They are very easy to integrate into the arsenal of our army and soldiers
can learn how to fire them very quickly," Bielieskov told DW.com Tuesday
(15/2/2022).
"In the event of a Russian attack, their mass work will be very effective.
That's why we need more of them."
3. Poland
The NATO nation supplies the GROM system, a similar heat-guided weapon that
can strike foot aircraft from up to three kilometers away.
Since the Ukrainian army already has similar weapons in its arsenal, the
training requirements for GROM should be short. It is not known how many
GROM weapons Poland supplied to Ukraine.
4. Lithuania
The country has supplied Ukraine with US-made Stinger missiles, but the
exact number is unknown.
5. Czech Republic
The republic has been supplying munitions to Ukraine for many years. The
exact amount of supply has never been confirmed by either party.
The country also supplies helmets, vests and crates.
6. Canada and France
The two NATO member states have also been supplying weapons to Ukraine since
2014, according to a report by the Stockholm-based peacekeeping agency
SIPRI. The type and number of weapons was never specified.
7. Turkey
Ukraine has purchased at least 20 Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey, which is
also a NATO member, in recent years. The drone can be equipped with
Ukrainian-made engines.
Ukraine has also obtained a license to manufacture Bayraktar drones. The
construction of the plant for this purpose was announced by Defense Minister
Resnikov last week.
The Turkish Bayraktar can be used for reconnaissance and can be equipped
with bombs and laser-guided missiles.
In late October, the Ukrainian Army's Bayraktar destroyed artillery of
pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country. Drones like the
Bayraktar offer inferior military forces the ability to inflict losses on
stronger foes.
During the 2020 war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Soviet-era air
defense systems operated by Armenia proved ineffective against modern drones
like the Bayraktar.
However, whether the same holds true for newer Russian-made surface-to-air
defense systems such as the Pantsir S1 is debatable.