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Anti-Putin militias are reportedly using NATO-supported equipment and weapons for Ukraine. Photos/Telegraphs
WASHINGTON – Media United States of America (USA), The Washington Post, reported on anti-Moscow militias that launched an attack on Belgorod last week using at least four tactical vehicles originally provided to Ukraine by America and Poland. The report quoted US officials as saying.
This fact raises questions about the accidental use of NATO-supplied equipment and Kiev’s commitment to securing materials supplied by its backers.
“Three of the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, also known as MRAPs, were brought to Russia by militias provided by the United States and the fourth came from Poland, according to people familiar with US intelligence findings, which have not been reported before,” wrote the Washington Post, which was monitored by Sindonews on Sunday (4/6/2023).
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.
In its report, the Washington Post also verified photos showing anti-Kremlin militia carrying rifles made by Belgium and the Czech Republic as well as at least one AT-4 anti-tank weapon in common use among US and Western troops.
US and Western officials insist that Ukraine is carefully tracking the billions of dollars worth of weapons flowing into the country. Kiev-backed states have also largely prohibited Ukrainian forces from using Western weapons and equipment to attack Russian territory.
But the recent incursions into Russian territory underscore how that material can change hands in unexpected ways, creating a regulatory challenge that some in Washington and Kiev seem keen to acknowledge.
At least two MRAPs appear to have been captured by Russian forces after the operation, according to imagery checked by the Washington Post.
When asked about using US equipment for cross-border attacks, a State Department spokesperson said: “The United States does not encourage or enable attacks inside Russia. We have been clear about how we do not support the use of US-made equipment used for attacks inside Russia, including with Ukraine over the past week.”
