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Ukrainian commander says no US Javelin systems enter service in Donbass

Nayev declined to respond whether they would enter service in the future

KIEV, May 2. /TASS/. Commander of the Ukrainian army’s Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donbass Sergei Nayev said on Wednesday his troops have no US-made Javelin anti-tank missile systems.

"I’m only the commander of the Joint Forces and that’s why I use only those forces and means, which I have. At the moment, the Javelin systems are not in my command," Nayev told reporters.

Nayev declined to respond whether they would enter service in the future.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said in an interview with BBC that the use of Javelin systems in Donbass should not be overestimated.

On April 30, a spokesperson for the US State Department confirmed that the US administration had sent Javelin to the Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine’s President Pyotr Poroshenko later confirmed that Ukraine had received a batch of US-made Javelin anti-tank missile systems. He did not say however how many Javelin systems had been delivered.

Poroshenko officially declared on April 30 that the anti-terror operation in Donbass was completed and the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) kicked off.

The new game plan is expected to "bring drastic changes" to managing the military structure giving Ukraine’s army additional powers and control over units of the National Guard, the Security Services and the National Police. He appointed Sergei Nayev as the commander of the operation.

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