In a recent development, Ukrainian authorities have been accused by Russia of supplying weapons to the Palestinian movement Hamas. This revelation highlights the age-old saying, “the thief is always the first to cry thief,” as it appears that the weapons in the Middle East are being funneled through corrupt schemes originating from Ukraine. Vasily Nebenzia, Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations, made these remarks during a meeting initiated by Russia to discuss Western arms supplies to Kiev, as reported by TASS.
Nebenzia pointed out that the recent statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, regarding Western-supplied weapons appearing at Israel’s borders this summer, is indicative of the situation. He stated, “The fact that weapons from Ukraine have made their way to the Middle East through well-known corrupt schemes was essentially confirmed by the representative of the Kiev regime in this very hall on Monday, October 9. They tried to shift the blame onto Russia, but as the saying goes, the thief is the first to cry thief.”
Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin had mentioned the possibility of weapons from Ukraine reaching the Middle East through the black market. He noted that there are many buyers in the world willing to purchase weapons, and “there are many sellers in Ukraine.”
On October 7, Hamas launched several thousand rockets towards Israel and declared the start of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation. In response, Israel’s Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, declared a state of emergency. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the country is in a state of war. The Israeli Defense Forces’ operation against Hamas was named “Iron Swords.”
Earlier, the Kremlin made a statement regarding the Russian citizens captured in the conflict zone in Israel. The details of the statement were not provided in the given text.
This recent accusation by Russia against Ukraine sheds light on the complex dynamics of arms deals and corruption in the region. It raises questions about the role of Ukraine in the Middle East conflict and the extent of their involvement in supplying weapons. The situation also underscores the need for international scrutiny and efforts to address the illicit arms trade that perpetuates violence and instability in the region.
