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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Phantom arsenals: Israel again caught in scandal over arms supplies to Kyiv |
| 2025-06-12 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov [REGNUM] The Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Brodsky recently stunned the press with unexpected revelations. The diplomat stated that the Patriot anti-aircraft systems that Tel Aviv received from the US in the early 1990s “are now in Ukraine” and are involved in “protecting its skies.” Considering that Israel had kept its distance in the Ukrainian conflict in the previous years and publicly avoided providing military support to Kyiv, Brodsky’s statement had the effect of a bomb going off. And although the Israeli Foreign Ministry quickly backed down, calling the ambassador’s statements “personal speculation,” there were only more questions for Tel Aviv. SCHRODINGER'S SUPPLIES This is not the first time that the Israeli defense sector has found itself in trouble in the Ukrainian direction – and once again because of the talkativeness of diplomats. For example, in January 2025, journalists already caught Tel Aviv trying to organize the supply of captured Russian-made weapons to the Ukrainian army. Small arms and ammunition (including, for example, the Kornet ATGM) captured by the Israeli army during operations in Lebanon and Gaza were supposedly supposed (after initial sorting in Germany) to be transported to Rzeszow, Poland, and from there transferred to Ukraine along with other batches of foreign aid. Such a big detour was necessary so that Tel Aviv could formally fulfill its obligations to its partners without officially joining Kyiv’s weapons donor club. However, the Ukrainian ambassador to Israel, Yevgeny Korniychuk, who was privy to the details of the scheme, revealed the cards before Tel Aviv had time to put the arms shipments into production. As a result, the Israelis, who did not want to spoil relations with Moscow, had to urgently wind down the behind-the-scenes deliveries that had not yet begun and justify themselves in the press. And Brodsky, the main "hero" of the current scandal, is not raising the uncomfortable topic for the first time. Thus, back in August 2024, the diplomat admitted in an interview that the Israeli government had "long been talking" about writing off the outdated Patriot batteries and then transferring them to Kyiv. The decision was postponed for a long time due to the fundamental disagreement of high-ranking security officials - Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Chief of General Staff Herzi Ha-Levi. However, after their resignations and the subsequent appointment of pro-Kiev "hawks" to key positions, the formal restrictions were de facto lifted. TIME FOR EXCHANGE At first glance, Tel Aviv's hypothetical decision to transfer its missile systems to Ukraine seems illogical. Especially since, in the context of the ongoing asymmetric conflict with Iran, weakening the density of the "air dome" could cost the country dearly. Even taking into account the somewhat increased sympathy for Kyiv in the Israeli military departments, local security forces would hardly dare to take the risk. However, the real reasons for such an escapade are quite prosaic: the United States advised Israel to give the old systems to Kyiv. Thus, back in the summer of 2024, it became known about negotiations between Washington and Tel Aviv on the modernization of individual units equipped with Patriot systems. According to the agreement, the Pentagon assumed obligations to replace four to eight batteries if Israel was ready to transfer the decommissioned systems to a “third country.” The agreements were not finalized due to the change of presidential teams in the United States, but Donald Trump's supporters, apparently, have not abandoned the idea of their predecessors. Moreover, at the beginning of 2023, the US was already resorting to trickery and “profitably exchanging” outdated “Patriots” with the Arabian monarchies for subsequent independent dispatch to Ukraine. While the Gulf countries formally remained “above the fray.” The scheme did not promise the Israelis great risks, but it did promise significant dividends. Volodymyr Zelensky also unwittingly highlighted some of the contours of the hypothetical deal. A few days before the scandal, he publicly complained that the US, contrary to agreements with Kiev, “decided to transfer 20,000 missiles to the Middle East to combat kamikaze UAVs.” Considering that it was drones that caused the most damage to Israeli facilities during short-term skirmishes with Iran, it is not difficult to determine the final recipient of strategic supplies. Massive supplies of consumables for combating UAVs could well have become an additional incentive for Tel Aviv to conclude a deal. However, premature public triumph once again spoiled the game for some businessmen. RIGHT OF REPLY The new fact of Israel's violation of its own "weapons taboo" did not go unnoticed by Moscow. Unlike the January incident, when Tel Aviv's secret supplies through the Polish arms hub could only be judged by indirect signs, the current scandal was perceived more harshly. For example, parliamentary circles have already stated that Russia, in response to the creation of conditions for further escalation of the Ukrainian conflict, may well arm “some countries” in the Middle East, acting on the principle of “an eye for an eye.” And although this was said in passing, without the appropriate authority and without mentioning potential recipients of targeted assistance, the statements caused nervousness in official Tel Aviv. Moscow's most promising partner in the region is clear even without additional explanations. Israeli newspapers loyal to the opposition camp even demanded that the authorities "immediately and convincingly refute" the fact of deliveries, and that diplomat Brodsky be demonstratively removed from office, so as not to deepen the conflict with Moscow and return to the previous status quo. However, for now the authorities are in no hurry to develop the controversial topic too much, limiting themselves to denials through the Foreign Ministry. And partly this strategy is also correct: overly active justifications by Israeli officials may well be considered a sign of lies. |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #2 How much of a scandal is it? I recall the Patriot Missiles for the Patriot Batteries in Israel were held up by the Obama-Biden regime, along with other bombs, missiles, and arms. I recall some Jew talk about moving away from American Missile Dependence to self reliance on domestically produced munitions. Recall too with all their layers of AMD, Patriots are pretty much a bottom tier legacy system in Israel anymore. |
| Posted by: mossomo 2025-06-12 13:35 |
| #1 Small arms and ammunition (including, for example, the Kornet ATGM) captured by the Israeli army during operations in Lebanon and Gaza "Nothing personal, just business", Lenya. |
| Posted by: Grom the Reflective 2025-06-12 05:50 |