Ukraine’s deputy defense minister on how Western arms supplies are safeguarded from Russian interference

The New Voice of Ukraine

Ukraine’s deputy defense minister on how Western arms supplies are safeguarded from Russian interference

May 4, 2022

M777 howitzers being prepared for transportation from the United States to Ukraine, April 22, 2022
M777 howitzers being prepared for transportation from the United States to Ukraine, April 22, 2022

She also noted that information on the volume, pace and types of supplies of Western weapons to Ukraine – in particular through the newly approved lend lease program – is classified.

“I can only say that behind this is a huge amount of work done by our Ministry of Defense together with the ministers of Western countries,” Malyar said. “Today, our Commander-in-Chief is in direct contact with the commanders-in-chief of other countries regarding the use of these weapons, our current needs, and training – and this is very important.”

Read also: Lend-Lease 2022: How the US can back Ukraine against Putin

The deputy defense minister said that the Ukrainian side is trying to talk as little as possible about the agreements and supplies, because since the first days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine the Russians have managed to disrupt several shipments of arms.

“They are experienced ‘KGBists’, they have their own agents everywhere and they work quite subtly, at the level of Western middle-level officials, and political parties loyal to them in the parliaments of different countries,” Malyar said.

Read also: Zelensky believes Lend-Lease for Ukraine will help Ukraine defeat ‘the ideological successors of Nazism’

“Western governments do not support Russia, but if there is one person in the chain integrated into Russian relations, this can already be a problem.”

“If transit takes place through several countries, they are trying to slow it down, or render it impossible at all. Because the transit of weapons is a very specific thing that requires both permits at the highest level and special protocols,” said the Ukrainian official.

Read also: Ukraine’s Armed Forces to transition from Soviet weapons to NATO equipment, says Commander-in-chief Zaluzhnyi

Malyar also added that the Russians are trying to concoct “articles and clips about our humanitarian aid allegedly disappearing or not being unloaded as it should be.”

“Of course, we have logistical problems, we can’t avoid problems altogether. But if you hear that some weapons do not reach the front, these are mere fabrications, because these weapons simply cannot fall into the wrong hands, as we have a clear system of monitoring and control of logistics with our partners,” Malyar said.

She said the system had been put in place together with the United States since the first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Washington cannot provide the next batch of weapons if it does not have a clear and complete understanding of what happened to the previous one.

Read also: What’s in the latest US military bundle for Ukraine?

“We have no complaints or questions from the State Department or the U.S. Congress in this regard,” Malyar said.

“Ideas of corruption with Western weapons are emerging in pseudo-expert circles and among people far from the military who are unaware of the fact that you can’t just sell American Javelins on the market.”

Author: John Hanno

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Bogan High School. Worked in Alaska after the earthquake. Joined U.S. Army at 17. Sergeant, B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 84th Artillery, 7th Army. Member of 12 different unions, including 4 different locals of the I.B.E.W. Worked for fortune 50, 100 and 200 companies as an industrial electrician, electrical/electronic technician.