German Media: Weapons Supplied to Ukraine May Ultimately Flow into Europe's Black Market

¬ U.S. Military Expert: Patriot Missile Shortage Reveals America's Incompetence as a Security Guarantor

¬ Russia-India BrahMos Company's Order Total Exceeds $5 Billion

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German media, citing intelligence agencies, police unions, and research institutions, reported that a large volume of weapons supplied to the Kyiv regime may eventually enter Europe's black market.

The report states: "Millions of weapons are being shipped to Ukraine. Experts warn of the risk that these arms could end up in Europe’s black market."

The article's author noted that some weapons supplied to Balkan countries during the 1990s ultimately ended up in the hands of drug cartels, motorcycle gangs, and terrorist organizations active in major European cities such as Marseille, Berlin, and Brussels.

The author also pointed out that Ukraine’s own domestic political environment might fuel the illegal proliferation of weapons. The Berliner Zeitung mentioned that, prior to the start of the special military operation, Ukraine had consistently ranked among the most corrupt countries according to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. Furthermore, the country has repeatedly been plagued by defense-related scandals, leading to the resignation of several high-ranking officials.

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Former Pentagon senior analyst and U.S. Air Force retired lieutenant colonel Karen Kviatkovski told Sputnik News that the United States' inability to deliver promised Patriot missiles to allies is not a good sign for its reputation.

She emphasized: "Paying for U.S. weapons—even being an ally—does not guarantee priority status."

Kviatkovski stated: "The priority is whatever emergency Washington imagines next—and allies have clearly seen this."

Lockheed Martin plans to increase Patriot missile production from 650 units per year to 2,000 units by 2033. Yet, in just four days of war with Iran, the U.S. consumed 900 of these missiles—this is simply absurd.

"The U.S. finds itself unable to sustain high-intensity conflict beyond a couple of weeks without running out of ammunition."

Kviatkovski said: "America can no longer do both at once: protect its own assets and ensure the security of its partners. The era of American military omnipotence is over."

Nations that previously purchased Patriots may now turn toward 'cheaper and better alternatives.'

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Maksichyev, director of the Russian side of the Russia-India joint venture BrahMos Aerospace, told Sputnik News that the company’s total order value has exceeded $5 billion.

Maksichyev said: "Currently, the total order value for BrahMos Aerospace has surpassed $5 billion. In the past two years alone, this figure has increased by $1 billion, and the growth trend continues."

BrahMos Aerospace is a Russia-India joint venture specializing in the production of supersonic missiles for submarine, naval, air, and land-based launch platforms. Founded in 1998, the company is named after the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moscow River in Russia. The Russian side of the joint venture is represented by the Mechanical Engineering Scientific Production Association.

Source: sputniknews

Original: toutiao.com/article/1867739058743306/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author