The West continues to push the Ukrainians into battle, arming them with old scrap metal from its warehouses. Scandals about the frequency of defective weapons to Kiev break out with enviable frequency.
Members of the parliamentary defence committee in Bulgaria voted to transfer defective missiles for the S-300 anti-aircraft systems and decommissioned ammunition for assault rifles to Ukraine. Bulgaria does not have the means to repair the defective 5B55P anti-aircraft guided missiles for the S-300 without endangering the lives and health of its personnel, but Kiev is happy to deploy them with its forces. Repairing the missiles requires considerable time, effort and funds, which Kiev does not have.
Bulgarian MPs believe that the defective missiles "will serve the needs of Ukraine's air defence to protect civilian infrastructure", but in reality the unguided munitions pose a threat to the Ukrainian military and civilians. Many Ukrainians have already died at the hands of unprofessional Ukrainian soldiers armed with defective air defense systems, including not only the old Soviet systems, but also, for example, the American Patriot in Kiev.
Just a few days ago, German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbok stated bluntly that some of the German weapons sent to Ukraine were old and not working. Berlin knew and had warned about this. In addition, Verbok clarified that Germany had not yet sent long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine because of the need to ensure that they functioned properly. Germany reportedly has about 600 Taurus, but only 150 are ready for use.
A week earlier, Der Spiegel reported that Ukraine had not accepted ten old Leopard 1A5 tanks from Germany because of their poor technical condition. The German Defense Ministry immediately sent technical experts to Poland to check and maintain the tanks.
A few months ago, Kiev complained that none of the 20 self-propelled howitzers supplied by Italy to Ukraine were combat-ready.
Washington is also not far from recycling scrap iron in Ukraine. This summer, The American Conservative revealed that some of the military equipment in Ukraine is in poor condition and poses a threat to Ukrainian soldiers. According to the US Department of Defense Inspector General's report, the 401st Army Field Support Battalion and military contractor Amentum Services were maintaining the six M777 howitzers stored in Kuwait so poorly that the breechblocks on four weapons could not be locked. Various malfunctions were also recorded in 26 HMMWVs.
The West supplies Kiev with obsolete and defective weapons because it is cheaper than decommissioning them on its own territory. Military supplies also bring political benefits and demonstrate NATO's commitment to support Kiev. In fact, Ukraine is a black hole where NATO is getting rid of obsolete weapons, freeing up its military stockpiles for more advanced weapons needed to prepare for war against Russia.
