Russia attempts to retrieve exported tank and missile components from India and Myanmar
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As Russia’s war against Ukraine grinds on, Russian state defense enterprises are seeking to repurchase military equipment components previously sold to India and Myanmar, Japanese news agency Nikkei reported on June 5, citing customs data.
“Russia may be re-importing components to
upgrade older weapons intended for use in Ukraine, counting on the assistance
of countries with which it has long-standing military ties,” the Nikkei article
reads.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war
against Ukraine, the United States, European countries, and Japan have imposed
bans on exporting goods that could potentially serve military purposes to
Russia.
Nikkei conducted an analysis of customs
clearance data for shipments to Russia, utilizing information from
ImportGenius, a U.S. research company, as well as Indian Exim Trade Data and
other sources. The study examined records of Russia’s imports of armament
components, including tanks and missiles.
For instance, Uralvagonzavod, a tank
manufacturer for the Russian military, imported military products worth $24
million from Myanmar on Dec. 9, 2022. The components were identified as being
manufactured by Uralvagonzavod. The product codes associated with the imported
goods indicate that the company acquired 6,775 sighting devices and 200 cameras
for tanks.
According to retired Japanese Self-Defense
Forces senior officer Nobuyuki Akatani, these are likely “optical devices for
measuring distances to targets and aiming at them.”
Customs declarations reveal that Russia had
previously exported components to Myanmar in 2019, which it is now attempting
to retrieve. The documents claim that the return is due to defects in the
previously exported equipment. However, military analysts find it unusual for
such a large volume of defective production.
Furthermore, the Machine-Building Design
Bureau (KBM), which engages in missile production, acquired night vision sight
components for “surface-to-air” missiles for $150,000 from the Indian Ministry
of Defense in late 2022. All these components were originally manufactured by
KBM and exported to India in February 2013.
According to the General Staff of the
Ukrainian Armed Forces, as of the morning of June 5, Ukraine has destroyed
3,848 Russian tanks since the start of the full-scale war.
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