Russian President Vladimir Putin has okayed handing over Western-made weapons such as Javelin and Stinger ant-tank missiles seized from the Ukrainian Army to the militias of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
“As for the supply of weapons, especially Western-made ones, which ended up in the hands of the Russian army, of course, I support the possibility of transferring them to the military units of the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. Please do it. If any decisions are needed here at my level, “Please, I’m ready,” Putin said at a meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council on Friday.
This proposal was voiced by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at the meeting, Russian MoD’s TV channel, Tvzvezda.tv reported.
“Against the background of the fact that there are uncontrolled deliveries of various weapons to Ukraine from all sides, in my opinion, no one there already considers who, where, how much is distributed.
We have a proposal: to ensure a higher combat capability of the militia of the LPR and DPR, to transfer to them (Western Origin) air defense equipment, in particular MANPADS, and anti-tank missile systems,” Shoigu said.
“A large number of (seized) Ukrainian weapons have accumulated: these are tanks, armored vehicles and all types of small arms, quite a lot, artillery. In addition, there are many Javelin and Stinger complexes. effectively carry out the defense of their republics.”
The militias are fighting for the freedom of the two Russian speaking regions of Ukraine, Donetsk and Lugansk. Russia launched the current war against Ukraine on the pretext of sending “peace-keeping forces,” to the two “republics,” it recognized as independent in the last week of February.
