Stolen or Lost? European Weapons Sent to Ukraine That Never Arrived

SadaNews - Le Parisien reported that since the beginning of the Russian war, around half a million weapons have vanished in Ukraine, which has doubled its efforts to combat corruption and criminal networks, at a time when the European Union provided it with a loan of 90 billion euros.

The newspaper - in a report by Anissa Hamadi - addressed the issue of the disappearance of a portion of the Western arms sent to Ukraine since the onset of the Russian war, with estimates from the Swiss organization "Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime" suggesting that hundreds of thousands of pieces of weaponry have been lost or stolen over the past years.

Although most military equipment is being actively used on the front lines, the newspaper states that poor tracking of some shipments, especially light weapons, raises growing concerns among Western partners, particularly given the vast financial and military support provided by the EU and the US to Kyiv.

Some experts clarify that this phenomenon is not new in wartime contexts, as soldiers or field commanders often divert part of the weapons and sell them, claiming they are lost, taking advantage of operational chaos on the front lines.

Despite the establishment of advanced monitoring and tracking systems since 2022, and the imposition of strict mechanisms on heavy and expensive equipment, small arms remain the weakest link in the monitoring system and are the most susceptible to exploitation by criminal networks.

An international report has warned that arms trafficking linked to the war in Ukraine could evolve into a long-term problem, as more organized and expansive smuggling networks develop compared to previous experiences in places like the Balkans or Afghanistan.

In contrast, Russia is exploiting this issue, according to the report, in disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining Western support for Ukraine by exaggerating the scale of the phenomenon and disseminating false information, even claiming that Ukraine has sent weapons to Hamas, as stated by the French newspaper.

Ukrainian authorities are seeking to reassure their allies by intensifying their efforts against corruption and arms smuggling, through dismantling criminal networks and tightening border controls, efforts that have been praised by international organizations despite acknowledging the existence of proven cases.

Observers agree that the greatest danger does not lie at present but may emerge more broadly in the post-war phase, when controlling the flow of arms becomes more complex.

Source: Le Parisien