Russia’s old ally India is shelling Ukraine. It is known that India-made bullets are sold in Europe. Later that shell went to Ukraine through some European countries. And that weapon is used by Ukraine in the war with Russia.
British news agency Reuters reported such information on Thursday, citing India, various European countries and 11 sources in the arms industry.
In a special report, the news agency said, New Delhi knows that the weapons they sell end up in Ukraine through various European countries. India did not take any intervention to stop the export of ammunition even though it was known for sure.
Indian ammunition has been going to Ukraine for more than a year, according to data from customs departments in various countries and multiple sources in possession of Reuters. According to Indian Arms Export Regulations, only parties to whom the country sells arms can use those arms. Otherwise, India reserves the right to stop arms sales.
Three Indian officials said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov raised objections to the issue in at least two meetings, including during a meeting with the Indian foreign minister last July.
In January of this year, the spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaswal, said that India is not selling any ammunition to Ukraine.
Two Indian government officials and two defense industry sources told Reuters that very little Indian ammunition goes into Ukraine. One official estimated that only 1 percent of the ammunition Ukraine has imported since the war is from Indian sources.
A Spanish, an Indian official and a former top official of India’s arms manufacturing company Yantra said that Italy and the Czech Republic are among the European countries that are sending Indian ammunition to Ukraine.
However, when Reuters asked about this, the defense ministries of Ukraine, Italy, Spain and the Czech Republic refused to comment.
Indian officials said the situation in Delhi was being monitored. But an Indian defense industry executive familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that India has not taken any steps to stop supplies to Europe.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Kiev has fully prepared a victory plan to end the war with Russia. Zelensky also said, everything is fixed. Now the most important thing is the determination to implement it. News agency AFP reported from Kiev.
The President of Ukraine said that there can be no alternative to peace. If the war is somehow stopped or manipulated, it will only take Russian aggression to another level. We need reliable and long-lasting security for Ukraine and consequently for all of Europe.
In early February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced military operations in Ukraine. Since then, the conflict between the two countries has been going on for 937 days. Many casualties were reported on both sides. However, there is no sign of an end to the war, on the contrary, the conflict between the two countries in eastern Ukraine has increased a lot.