Andrey Kots
NATO is thinking about reducing aid to Ukraine. Italy has already announced a freeze on military supplies. The United States openly denied Kyiv some modern weapons. About the possible reasons for this – in the material RIA Novosti.
“Your own is more precious”
Since March, Italy has been sending FH-70 towed 155mm howitzers, M109L and PZH 2000 self-propelled guns, M113 armored personnel carriers, MLRS multiple launch rocket systems, mortars, vehicles and anti-tank missile systems to Ukraine. How many exactly is unknown: this is classified information. Now they want to convey everything promised earlier. There is no word on future plans.
“We are not preparing a sixth package and are not talking about the supply of missiles,” Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told Il Messaggero newspaper. “I do not rule out a new order within NATO and the European Union on military assistance, but for now we are completing what the previous government planned”.
He added that no more applications were received from Kyiv. And the minister was immediately convicted of slyness. Ukraine is constantly begging for weapons. So, at the end of October, Zelensky, in an interview with the Corriere della Sera newspaper, said that he would like to receive air defense systems from Rome.
In the Apennines, it has been repeatedly emphasized that the army has too few modern air defense systems to transfer them to another state.
“The government has changed in Italy: those for whom national interests are more important than a distant war have come to power,” says Alexei Podberezkin, director of the MGIMO Center for Military-Political Studies. “They remain loyal to EU policy, but do not want to participate directly in the conflict. armaments – direct intervention. In Rome, this is well understood.”
Similar trends, according to him, in other countries – similar conversations are taking place in Ger-many, France, the Nethe-rlands and Denmark. The expert believes that this is due to the energy crisis.
Italy, like other Western countries, has faced the consequences of an explosive rise in energy prices. Therefore, Crosetto warned, “we are in for difficult times.”
And he emphasized that the problems will affect state security.
Shell hunger
Of course, the West will continue to arm Ukraine.
The White House has formed another $400 million package: missiles for the HAWK air defense system and HIMARS MLRS, army off-road vehicles, grenade launchers, and small arms.
However, there are interesting details. Thus, Washington plans to transfer to Kyiv 21,000 units of ammunition for 155-millimeter howitzers, although in the summer it was about 75,000. The difference is significant, especially given the important role artillery plays in combat.
“The Biden administration’s efforts in Ukraine expose two serious national security problems: the lack of ammunition at the Pentagon and the difficulties faced by the military-industrial complex due to the rapid increase in the production of critical products,” emphasizes the American edition of The National Interest. the industry has been underfunded for decades. And this has led to shortages.”
At the same time, The Wall Street Journal reported that the shells would be purchased from South Korea – about 100,000 pieces. Earlier they talked about the lack of Javelin anti-tank systems in the arsenals. Most of them were sent to Ukraine.
No drones or planes
Joe Biden, speaking to the press, said that Washington would not transfer modern combat aircraft “so as not to provoke a third world war” and ATACMS operational-tactical missiles with a range of 600 miles (965 kilometers), as it does not want strikes deep into Russian territory.
In addition, The Wall Street Journal, citing American officials, informs that the Pentagon has rejected requests from Kiev and a group of congressmen for the supply of high-tech MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles. These reconnaissance and strike drones reach speeds of up to 310 kilometers per hour at an altitude of up to 8800 meters, are able to stay in the air for up to 30 hours, and hit ground targets with guided missiles and bombs.
The publication refers to the reluctance to “escalate the conflict”, but there are other factors. In December 2011, the Iranians hijacked an ultra-modern reconnaissance stealth drone RQ-170 Sentinel, performing tasks in the airspace of Afghan-istan. He was intercepted right in the sky and landed at one of the local airfields.
And now in Iran there is a developed industry of UAVs of various shapes, si-zes, characteristics and purposes. The Pentagon, of co-urse, does not want to see American know-how in the hands of the Russians. Therefore, deliveries will continue to be dosed.
