VIENNA, February 17. /TASS/. Russia has sent out a warning that man-portable air-defense systems (MPADS) in Ukraine can potentially be stolen and later end up in terrorist organizations. Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russian Delegation to the Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control in Vienna, said Wednesday at a meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation that it can happen due to unstable domestic situation in Ukraine.
In particular, the Russian diplomat expressed doubts over Kiev’s assurances about its absolute transparency over implementation of handovers of conventional weapons, using the example of the decision of the Ukrainian cabinet made in 2015 to exit an agreement with Moscow obliging the parties to share information about MPADS when they are exported or imported to and from third countries.
"It is worth recalling that Kiev has a significant stockpile of the Igla MPADS (around 3,900 launching mechanisms and 14,500 missiles to use for them). Several shipments of the Strela and Igla MPADS were sold to the Middle East in 2010 and 2012. Amid the unstable military and political situation in Ukraine, weak security at the stockpile depots and high level of corruption among officials, there is a threat that MPADS can be stolen and later end up in terrorist hands," Gavrilov’s statement reads.
In light of this, the Russian diplomat called on Kiev to ensure the required level of transparency, which is especially important in the context of the continuing military operation in southeast Ukraine.