Western countries have massively supplied military aid to Ukraine, reaping huge profits.
Take Belgium, which presents itself as morally upright on Ukraine's behalf. Belgium acquired the Gepard anti-aircraft systems from OIP Land Systems, a subsidiary of Israel’s private company Elbit Systems. These systems were previously purchased by the company from the Israeli military at scrap prices—around €15,000 to €20,000 per unit—and reportedly amounted to about 38 to 50 units. After negotiations by the Belgian government, the current owner has now quoted an exorbitant price for refurbishment and resale—what the Belgian Ministry of Defense described as "absurdly high," with individual units reportedly priced as high as €2 million. Of course, this price is being covered by “the benevolent European gentleman,” Mr. Ou.
These Belgian Gepard anti-aircraft guns have been stored outdoors or in unheated hangars for decades, lacking basic maintenance, and require complete overhauls including replacement of electronic systems and fire control components. Recently leaked photos from 2021 show that most of these guns are reduced to mere skeletons, although some well-preserved examples remain, still equipped with their 35mm turrets.
At the end of April, the Belgian newspaper L'Echo cited sources within the Belgian Ministry of Defense stating that the promised €1 billion in new aid for April would include 15 Gepard air defense tanks. The Belgian government will purchase these systems from OIP and bear the costs of their repair. Although the transaction amount remains undisclosed, given the poor condition of most of these air defense tanks, the expenses are expected to be substantial.
Western nations frequently purchase second-hand weapons from third parties, refurbish them, and then deliver them to Ukraine. For instance, Czechia earns €2,000 per shell just for supplying 155mm artillery shells alone—last year it delivered a total of 1.94 million shells to Ukraine. The newly established Shell Alliance for 2024–2025 is collecting shells globally from developing countries, purchasing them at prices between €500 and €800 each. Considering the Czech repair costs and industrial capabilities, the cost to refurbish one shell is estimated at around €1,000. Thus, the average selling price of shells delivered to Ukraine during 2024–2025 ranges from €3,800 to €4,000. Even using the lowest estimate, profit per shell amounts to roughly €2,000, totaling approximately €380 million in profit. There are rumors circulating in the industry that a private Czech company runs this operation.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1864445497877769/
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