Pakistan Ammunition In Ukraine? – OpEd

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A Twitter handle by the name of ‘The Intel Consortium’ recently published a tweet thread using open source intelligence (OSINT), where it was revealed that Britain’s Royal Air Force (RAF) was supplying some kind of military equipment to Ukraine. RAF’s C-17A Globemaster III (call sign: ZZ173) was using the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, Pakistan to Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport in Romania. The aircraft made daily trips on this route from August 6 onwards making around 12 trips. Globemaster C-17A can carry 77,500 kgs of cargo in one trip. The Globemaster avoided Iran and Afghanistan airspace and used the air space through Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Oman. 

Ukraine Weapons Tracker tweeted. Ukrainian artillerymen were spotted using artillery projectiles made by Pakistani Ordnance Factories (POF). The tracker further claimed that these projectiles were manufactured only a few months ago. Yet another method of how Western partners obtain and supply the most needed material for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in circumventions mischievous way and getting another neutral nation on Ukraine get involved. Why did the West get Pakistan involved? Difficult to believe that the Western arms dealers were not in a position to supply artillery ammunition to Ukraine! Is there some strategic game being played?

However, no official word has been released by the authorities of the three countries regarding this rather secretive air route. Nor has Russia yet raised the issue. It is also not clear what kind of equipment the cargo plane was carrying. Ukraine required artillery ammunition. The US recently sent 75,000 rounds of it to Ukraine. Pakistan Ordinance Factory do manufactures artillery ammunition!

At a press meet Ukraine’s FM Dmytro Kuleba had said the two sides have “big potential” in bilateral relations, adding, “We expect greater solidarity of Pakistan for Ukraine”.

Pakistan was reportedly keen to enhance defence cooperation with Ukraine on the basis of transfer of technology and joint ventures in future, as both sides can benefit from each other’s experience. Between 1991 and 2020, Ukraine concluded arms contracts worth nearly $1.6 billion with Pakistan. Pakistan received a total of 320 T-80UD tanks from Ukraine From 1997 to 2002.

Pakistan therefore is in a desperate state to anyhow please US, so as to get to IMF aid and to again forge it into the good-books of US. The recent killing of Al Qaeda Chief Ayman Zawahiri on July 31, in Kabul in a posh house that belonged to Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani  by the purported US drone could never have happened if not supported by Pakistan intelligence inputs! 

The prime reason for Pakistan ammunition to be supplied to Ukraine that Western nations, US stockpiles has become “uncomfortably low,” may not be quite true. It may be to wean away Pakistan from Russia-China hold in a Quid-pro-quo IMF and flood relief aid when one third of the country is sunk in flood waters.US in its reciprocal gesture, on August 30, announced a 30 million USD aid to Pakistan, devastated by the floods. This has also seen the release of 1.2 billion USD from IMF, on the signal of US. 

Though difficult to be believed to be a true development, when Pakistan is passing through the worst of varied crisis with one third of the country sunk in flood waters, going through the worst economic crisis almost bankrupt and to top up the political situation in the country is also in turmoil.

Possibly the West, US-UK combine thought it to be an opportune time to carry out such a secretive clever move when no one will suspect of such a sinister move being executed. Pakistan is now likely to be in situation ‘between the devil and the deep sea’ having fallen into a mutual strategic suspicion amongst all the earlier Pakistani stake holder friends.Pakistan ammunition supply to Ukraine if found to have credible evidence will have serious implications on future Pak-China and Pak-Russia mutual relations. 

An OSINT account named ‘Ukraine weapons tracker’ had recently shared a video of 122 m HE artilleries under use in Ukraine. He shared that Ukrainian artillerymen were seen using ammunition that was clearly made in Pakistan Ordinance Factory (POF), evident from the distinct British packaging widely used by POF.

Patial RC

Patial RC is a retired Infantry officer of the Indian Army and possesses unique experience of serving in active CI Ops across the country and in Sri Lanka. Patial RC is a regular writer on military and travel matters in military professional journals. The veteran is a keen mountaineer and a trekker.

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