Reznikov refutes the smuggling of Western weapons from Ukraine and promises better control 

YEVHEN KIZILOV – FRIDAY, 15 JULY 2022, 14:49

In response to Western concerns, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov has assured that Ukraine is not smuggling weapons received from foreign partners intended for its defence against Russia.

Source: Reznikov in an interview with the Financial Times

Quote: "We need to survive. We have no reason to export weapons from Ukraine."

Details: Reznikov reported that some allies had sent their military representatives to Ukraine to monitor the flow of weapons provided by them.

In addition, he added, Ukraine uses NATO software acquired in 2019 to monitor the deployment and use of weapons provided by the West, and NATO countries have access to this information.

According to Reznikov, the operational scope of this system, which is currently being managed centrally, will be extended to the level of brigades and, possibly, battalions.  Kyiv will consult with partners on how far to extend it.  Ukraine is also developing two more tracking systems that will work in parallel with NATO software.

The Minister insists that there is no chance of heavy weapons being stolen from Ukraine, as they have GPS trackers and Western military satellites can track them.

At the same time, Reznikov suggested that, theoretically, firearms such as assault rifles could be exported from Ukraine to the European Union, but neither the customs authorities nor the government have received information about such cases from Europol or the EU police.

According to the Financial Times, representatives of the EU and NATO have expressed a desire for Kyiv to better monitor weapons received from the West, as there are concerns that they are being smuggled out of the country to the European black market.

Background:

•   Earlier, the EU stated that information about the alleged "weapons smuggling" from Ukraine is large-scale Russian propaganda.
•   NATO is also confident that Ukraine properly ensures the storage and accounting of weapons it receives from its allies.
•   At the same time, the US Congresswoman Victoria Spartz stated that there are allegedly obstacles standing in the way of establishing supervision of the American military assistance to Ukraine.
•   In response to this, the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andrii Yermak, proposed to the Verkhovna Rada that a temporary special commission be created that would monitor the use of weapons received from Ukraine's Western partners.