Belgium wants explanations from Kiev on the possible use of Belgian weapons by the anti-Kremlin Russian militias. According to the American newspaper The Washington Post, this is the case in the Russian border town of Belgorod. “Our Defense Ministry and its intelligence services have launched an investigation and are requesting information to determine exactly what happened,” Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said.
The Washington Post draws the conclusion based on the photos: Belgian weapons were used in attacks on the Russian border region of Belgorod. According to the Washington Post, Russian militias operating out of Ukraine use automatic rifles from Belgian manufacturer FN Herstal. Interestingly, the Belgian government supplied it to Ukraine.
“We would take it very seriously”
The weapons that the West supplies to Ukraine can only be used in Ukraine itself, as a defense against Russian aggression. Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder also agrees. According to Dedonder, this is therefore also explicitly stated in the documents accompanying every weapon delivery.
Regular Armed Forces of Ukraine
According to the minister, with each delivery it is also explicitly repeated that the weapons can only be used by the regular armed forces of Ukraine. Prime Minister Alexander de Croo says “to lift very heavy” if these conditions are not met. “That there may be some sort of escape from our weapons into other conflicts has obviously always been part of the analysis,” De Croo said. “We don’t anticipate the facts, but we would take it very seriously.”
European weapons are supplied to Ukraine on condition that they are used on Ukrainian territory for the purpose of defending that territory. And we have strict checks to verify that this is the case,” said De Croo, who did not elaborate further on the consequences if the message turns out to be true. “We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. But we are analyzing the situation and we would take it very seriously.”
Czech Republic
Dedonder and his foreign counterpart Hadja Lahbib will ask the Ukrainian authorities for explanations on the Belgian weapons allegedly used by the militias on Russian territory. The defense has launched an investigation into the images.
The Washington Post also reported on Saturday that Russian rebels used vehicles originally supplied to Ukraine by the United States and Poland in their cross-border attack on the Belgorod region. And also the rifles made in Belgium and the Czech Republic.
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Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
