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Belgium demands an explanation from Ukraine after its weapons were used by anti-Kremlin militia to attack Belgorod, Russia. Photo/Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of Russia
BRUSSELS – Belgium, a member of NATO, demanded an explanation from Ukraine after the weapons he made were used by anti-Kremlin armed groups to attack the Belgorod region, Russia.
That explanation is important because a NATO arms attack on Russian territory could be considered a direct war by the alliance with Moscow.
The Belgian Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs, Ludivine Dedonder and Hadja Lahbib, will contact the Ukrainian authorities as soon as possible for an explanation of the situation.
“These supplies are intended for the Armed Forces of Ukraine to protect their territory and population from a Russian invasion. This is clearly indicated in the documents accompanying each shipment,” a Belgian government source told HLN, Thursday (5/6/2023).
“So this weapon is not intended for isolated groups with domestic Russian interests,” he said.
Previously, The Washington Post, citing intelligence, reported that militiamen from the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Russian Legion of Freedom, fighting on the Ukrainian side, invaded Belgorod in late May using at least four tactical vehicles of Western supply.
That includes an MRAP-type armored vehicle with upgraded anti-mine protection, as well as guns manufactured by the Czech Republic and Belgium and at least one AT-4 anti-tank grenade launcher, which is frequently used by the United States and generally Western militaries.
The United States has repeatedly stressed that it does not approve of the use of its weapons for military operations outside Ukraine.
Ukrainian intelligence said that the Western equipment of the Russian rebels was a trophy from the battle with the Russian regular army troops.
On May 22, militiamen from the Russian Volunteer Corps and the Russian Legion of Freedom invaded Belgorod, Russia, for the first time. Since then, these groups have raided the region several times.
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