Ammunition from India arrives in Ukraine, despite Russian protests – Reuters

Artillery shells sold by Indian arms manufacturers were diverted by European customers to Ukraine, and New Delhi did not intervene to stop the trade despite protests from Moscow, Reuters reported, citing 11 Indian and European government and defense industry officials. as well as analysis of customs data. All of these individuals spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The transfer of ammunition to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia has been taking place for more than a year, according to sources and customs data.

India’s arms export regulations provide for arms to be used by a designated buyer who risks termination of future sales in the event of unauthorized transfers. At the same time, as stated by two Indian officials interviewed by the agency, India has not taken any action to limit supplies to Europe.

The Kremlin has raised the issue with India at least twice, including during a July meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Indian counterpart, three Indian officials said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defense of Russia and India did not comment on the agency’s report. In January, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said that India did not send or sell artillery shells to Ukraine.

Two Indian government sources and two Indian defense industry sources told Reuters that Delhi produces only a very small amount of the ammunition used by Ukraine, with one official saying it was less than 1% of the total weapons imported by Kiev since the start of the full-scale war. .

According to the report, among the European countries that send Indian ammunition to Ukraine are Italy and the Czech Republic, which is leading the initiative to supply Kyiv with artillery shells from outside the European Union.

The defense ministries of Ukraine, Italy and the Czech Republic did not respond to the agency’s requests for comment.

Read also: Modi in Kyiv: India is ready to make its proactive contribution to efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his first visit to Ukraine in August. During the visit, he stated that India advocates achieving peace in Ukraine through diplomatic means, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state.

As Bloomberg reported on the eve of the visit, Modi decided to visit Kyiv to try to balance ties with Washington and Moscow, but ruled out the role of a mediator in ending the Russian war in Ukraine.

However, according to journalists, India agreed to pass the message between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin.

On July 8 and 9, Indian Prime Minister Modi visited Russia. According to the information of the Indian mass media, he agreed with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin on the release from the Russian army of Indian citizens who were tricked into the war against Ukraine.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Modi’s visit to Moscow. On the morning of July 9, the Ukrainian leader declared that “it is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world’s largest democracy embrace the world’s bloodiest criminal in Moscow on such a day” (referring to the combined missile attack on July 8, which aimed , in particular, became the “Okhmatdyt” children’s hospital).

India, despite its increasingly close relationship with Washington, has refused to join Western sanctions against Moscow, instead partnering with Russia as a cheaper source of oil.