Ukraine Not First Nation Receiving Captured Russian Weapons from Israel
Ukraine is eager for Israel to transfer the Russian weapons it recently seized from Hezbollah in Lebanon, as Israel seems more open to supplying Kyiv with lethal weapons now. If Israel complies, it wouldn't be the first time the country has given away Russian or Soviet weapons it's captured from its adversaries over the years.
The ambassador of Ukraine to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, recently expressed hope that an Israeli parliament bill advocating for the transfer of captured Hezbollah weapons to Ukraine will pass. During Israel's recent ground war against Hezbollah, the Israeli military discovered a significant quantity of Russian-supplied weapons, which Moscow had shipped via the former Syrian military.
In the past few months, regional dynamics have shifted, with Israel eliminating Hezbollah's leadership, depleting its strategic stockpiles of missiles, and causing the downfall of Syria's Bashar al-Assad regime, which was a key ally of both Iran and Hezbollah. This has reduced Iran's ability to replenish Hezbollah's arsenal and limited Russia's access to its former ally in Syria.
Previously, Israel had refrained from providing Kyiv with any lethal aid due to its need to coordinate with Russia in Syria, where it frequently attacked suspected Iran-related targets. However, with Russia and Iran weaker, this argument is less convincing.
Israel has already made some concessions, such as providing the US with up to 90 Patriot missiles from storage, which the US will send to Ukraine. While Israel has never been a fan of the Patriot missile system, its agreement to transfer them is a significant step.
Despite the Patriot transfer, Ukraine would still benefit from the smaller arms and ammunition captured from Hezbollah, such as AK-103s, PKM machine guns, Draganov sniper rifles, and Kornet anti-tank missiles. Providing these weapons would also signal Israel's displeasure with Russia's support for Hezbollah.
There were rumors in January that the Russian weapons captured from Hezbollah were already on their way to Ukraine. Small arms deliveries are less conspicuous than strategic systems like the Patriot, and Israel might prefer to keep any transfers under wraps to avoid publicly antagonizing Russia while still getting some form of retribution for Moscow's support of Hezbollah.
Israel has a history of transferring Russian or Soviet weapons it's captured in conflicts, particularly in the Middle East. For example, it gave Soviet-made weapons it captured in the 1956 Suez Crisis to the Lebanese government. In the 1982 Lebanon invasion, Israel sold captured Soviet-made weapons to Iran. Israel has also provided captured Soviet weapons to its allies in Lebanon, including the Lebanese Forces and the South Lebanese Army.
Regarding tanks and armored personnel carriers, Israel might not supply Ukraine with its advanced Achzarit APCs or other tanks. However, Israeli companies specialize in modernizing and upgrading Soviet-era military hardware for foreign clients. As its war with Russia continues, Ukraine could still benefit from Israeli know-how and assistance in upgrading its Soviet arsenal.
In conclusion, with Ukraine in need of weapons, Israel's history of transferring captured Russian or Soviet weapons to other countries might lead to Israel providing Ukraine with the captured Russian weapons from Hezbollah. If this happens, it would not be a first for Israel, which has a long history of transferring such weapons in various Middle Eastern conflicts.
- Ukraine's ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, expressed hope that Israel will transfer the captured Hezbollah weapons to Ukraine, as a recent bill in the Israeli Parliament advocates for this.
- The capture of a significant quantity of Russian-supplied weapons by the Israeli military during its ground war against Hezbollah has sparked discussions about their potential transfer to Ukraine.
- If Israel decides to transfer the captured Hezbollah weapons to Ukraine, it would not be the first time the country has given away Russian or Soviet weapons it's captured from its adversaries.
- The Russian-Ukraine war and Israel's recent actions against Hezbollah and its allies have created opportunities for Israel to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, including those captured from Hezbollah.
- The transfer of Russian weapons captured from Hezbollah to Ukraine could also be a sign of Israel's displeasure with Russia's support for Hezbollah, a group Israel considers a threat.
- Israel has a history of transferring or selling captured Russian or Soviet weapons to other countries, such as its sale of captured Soviet-made weapons to Iran during the 1982 Lebanon invasion.
