Israel denies transferring captured Russian arms to Ukraine
The Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine, Mykhailo Brodsky, addressed reports about the potential transfer of Russian weapons, allegedly captured from Hezbollah, along the Jerusalem-Kyiv line. The diplomat clearly stated that "such an initiative does not exist."
Brodsky emphasized that Israel supports Ukraine and condemns Russian aggression against the country. However, he noted that there is no discussion of any arms transfers to the front.
Israel will not arm Ukraine
Regarding the issue of support, Brodsky stated, "Israel does not provide military support to Ukraine for various reasons, chiefly the desire to maintain our contacts with Russia and avoid jeopardizing our security, as this could have very serious consequences for Israel's security," in an interview with Radio Svoboda's portal.
Speculation about the transfer of weapons to Ukraine was fueled by mysterious flights of American C-17A transport planes seen after a meeting between Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel and Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniichuk. The Ukrainian side reportedly requested the transfer of Soviet and Russian weapons seized by Israel from its adversaries.
Large stockpiles of Soviet weapons in Israel
Israel has seized a significant portion of the arsenal Hezbollah amassed in Lebanon over the years. As reported by The Telegraph in January this year, about 60% of the confiscated weapons were manufactured by the USSR and Russia. From the perspective of Ukrainians familiar with this type of equipment, the transfer of equipment seized from Hezbollah could provide substantial assistance.
It has been repeatedly highlighted that the Israel Defense Forces were surprised by the vast arsenal of Soviet and Russian weapons possessed by Hezbollah.
During the intervention in southern Lebanon, Israel managed to seize modern Kornet anti-tank missiles (with a range of about 3 miles) produced around 2020, as well as various weapons from the Soviet era. These include RPG-29 and RPG-7 anti-tank systems, Igla portable missile sets, and rifles from the AK/AKM family.
