Is the West really sending "junk" weapons to Ukraine?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent statement regarding the West's sending of "junk" weapons to Ukraine raised great eyebrows and questions about the effectiveness and quality of the weapons obtained by Kyiv, especially with the beginning of the war that saw the Russians control large areas before the last counterattack of Kiev.

"It is said that weapons are being sent (to Ukraine) ... they are sending scrap," said Erdogan, who has good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and also plays a mediating role to end the war between Moscow and its neighbor Kiev, commenting on Western support for Kiev.

Despite receiving batches of Harpoon anti-ship systems, HIMARS, howitzers and other qualitative weapons, Ukraine has been constantly asking its allies for more weapons and equipment, enabling them to confront the Russian offensive that has been going on for about 7 months.

double chance

While the announcements issued by a number of European countries were repeated to send used weapons and military equipment or as parts to Ukraine, and some demanded to renew their arsenal and send new weapons to it instead of the used and old weapons supplied to Kyiv.

In his statement to Al-Jazeera Net, military expert Fayez Al-Asmar believes that the war in Ukraine constituted a double opportunity for two categories of countries, the first being the developed countries, led by the United States, to test their modern and advanced weapons on the battlefield, after passing the stage of experimental tests, maneuvers and training.

Ukrainian soldiers stationed with their equipment on the front line in the area between Lugansk and Donetsk in the east (European)

As for the second category, it is some of the eastern European countries neighboring Ukraine, which found in the open war the neighbor a golden opportunity to consume their weapons and ammunition, and to get rid of their arsenals accumulated in stores for years, some of which have been manufactured for decades, especially those obtained from the former Soviet Union.

stock replenishment

Last June, Polish President Andrzej Duda called on European countries to provide his country with used weapons to replenish its stockpile after helping Ukraine.

According to his statements, Duda confirmed that he asked his allies to provide the country with used weapons and equipment, after Warsaw handed over its weapons to Kyiv.

The Russian and Ukrainian sides incurred heavy losses in equipment and weapons, according to official (European) announcements.

We are providing Ukraine with the largest military assistance that we have given to another country, we are the main country that transports heavy weapons, we are talking about hundreds of tanks, combat vehicles, artillery, as well as drones, portable aircraft, defense systems and hundreds of thousands of ammunition, spare parts and other equipment.

That is why the Polish president stressed that his country needs a "quick renewal", saying that the weapons he requests do not have to be new.

"We have delivered used equipment to Ukraine, and we are also ready to accept used weapons," he said.

weapons incinerator

Ukraine's allies, especially at the beginning of the Russian attack, resorted to supplying Kyiv with weapons from its neighboring countries, in order to save the time needed to transfer Western weapons and the approvals that governments might need to send them.

Al-Asmar points out that the battlefield in Ukraine is large and extends hundreds of kilometers, and is considered incendiary and consuming the weapons of both parties, whether the attacker or the defender.

Ukraine needs - because the battle is taking place on its territory - for all equipment and weapons, whether old or modern, especially since Russia has, over the past months, targeted a significant number of Ukrainian arms depots.

In mid-August, Ukraine received 4 military helicopters from Latvia, a member of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as part of Western aid provided to Kiev by its Western allies to repel the Russian attack.

Latvia announced that two of the Soviet military helicopters delivered to Ukraine have been repainted (Anatolia)

The Latvian Ministry of Defense announced - in a statement - that two of the four Mi-17 helicopters and two Mi-2 helicopters, and that some of them were delivered disassembled to Ukraine. The aircraft developed in the former Soviet Union have been repainted, as well as the refurbishment of one of the two Mi-17s.

Russian propaganda

In conjunction with the official announcements, Russia continues to broadcast its counter-propaganda about the conduct of the battles as well as the weapons supplied by the West to its opponent in the war, and Russian reports indicate that NATO members send to Kyiv batches of old weapons along with modern military equipment.

A few days ago, Russia today quoted Russian media reports that the Ukrainian army had received from Lithuania an American-made 15 mm howitzer and the M101 model, which began production 81 years ago.

The reports added that the aforementioned guns participated after World War II in Korea and Vietnam, and pointed out that 20 years ago, Denmark received 72 cannons of this type, and delivered 18 of them to Ukraine.

But on the other hand, Washington and Western allies of Kiev - led by Germany - announced the supply of modern self-propelled howitzers, which played a major role in the recent battles against the Russian forces.

Regarding his opinion of Erdogan’s talk about the West’s supplying Ukraine with “junk” weapons, the military expert believes that the words of the Turkish president may not be accurate in the literal sense of the word, but it may be intended that the weapons that Ukraine supplies from its allies, some of them are old or expendable, but with this all A useful weapon in open war, whether helicopters for transporting soldiers or ambulances, or others, and even used vehicles and mechanisms have a role on the lines of fire.

He pointed out that it may be intended that the Western allies do not provide Kyiv with the weapons necessary to resolve the battle or to break and defeat the Russians, such as combat aircraft, long-range missile systems and tanks, because this means that these countries are actually participating in the war, which increases the possibilities of the outbreak of a third world war, This is what everyone avoids.