Pakistan backstabs Russia, supplies arms to Ukraine

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Even though the relations between Pakistan and Russia are said to be on an upswing, Islamabad is reported to be supplying weapons and ammunition to Kyiv, according to Geo-Politik citing the report published in the Russian web portal, Riafan.

Islamabad seems to make money off the Russia-Ukraine war by supplying much-needed ammunition to Ukraine. Pakistani companies are also exploiting the ongoing conflict in maximizing their profit and expanding their operations in countries bordering Ukraine.

Notably, CEO of Kestral, Liaqat Ali Beg, travelled to Poland, Romania, and Slovakia in May and June 2022. The report claimed that Islamabad is supposedly part of an air bridge for supplying weapons to Ukraine. It is apparently using defence suppliers and contractors operating in foreign countries to channel these shipments to Ukraine.

The report revealed further that the UK is using Pakistan’s Noor Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi as a key base for the transportation of military equipment for the Ukrainian Army.

This report came at a time when Pakistan-Russia relations are the upswing. On one hand, Russia has agreed to provide at least 100,000 barrels per day of crude oil to Pakistan at discounted rates while on other hand, Islamabad is supplying arms and ammunition to Ukraine, reported Geo-Politik.

Islamabad-based arms supplier M/s DMI Associates was in contact with Bulgaria-based firm M/s Defense Industry Group to facilitate the supply of manufactured defence stores to the Ukrainian government. Meanwhile, the Slovakia-based defence firm M/s Chemica had purportedly contacted Pak Ordinance Factories’ ammunition supplier M/s Kestral, on behalf of Ukraine’s Defence Ministry, the report said citing credible sources.

Surprisingly, Ukrainian business M/s FORMAG had contacted M/s Bluelines Cargo Pvt Ltd in Pakistan to send gloves for their army, Geo-Politik reported.

Pakistan’s shipping and brokering firm ‘Project Shipping’ is also expected to send a consignment of arms and ammunition including mortars, rocket launchers and artillery rounds from Karachi to Poland.

Although this is not a single-sided transaction as in the return for the arms supplement to Ukraine. Pakistan has asked for Ukraine’s help to service and repair “TV3-117VM Engines” used in Mi-17 helicopters from the Ukrainian Joint Stock Company (JSC) ‘Motor Sich,’ headquartered in Zaporizhzhia. As it has been an enterprise of the Ukrainian government which it took control deeming “military necessity”. This company has been involved with the production of aircraft engines as well as industrial marine gas turbines, according to Geo-Politik.

Pakistan and Ukraine’s military ties go back nearly three decades. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Ukraine has supplied weapons worth nearly USD 1.6 billion to Pakistan till 2020. In the 1990s, Ukraine supplied 320 T-84UD tanks to Pakistan for a deal worth USD 600 million. (ANI)