According to American officials, the United States is transferring to the armed forces of Ukraine some of the Soviet-made air defense systems that they secretly acquired several decades ago. They write about it Nancy A. Youssef andMichael R. Gordon in an article for the newspaper "The Wall Street Journal".
Used by the US Air Force for training purposes, the 9A33BM2/BM3 combat vehicle of the Soviet anti-aircraft missile system 9K33M2/M3 "Osa-AK/AKM" (c) of the US Air Force
These systems, which, according to one of the officials, include anti-aircraft missile systems "Osa" (SA-8 according to the NATO classification), have been for several decades, and the United States acquired them in order to study the technologies used and exported by Russia around the world.
The weapon is familiar to the Ukrainian military, who inherited this type of military equipment after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The US Department of Defense declined to comment on the decision to use its little-known arsenal of Soviet weapons, which was taken at a time when the Biden administration is making serious efforts to expand Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
The United States has acquired a small number of Soviet missile defense systems over several decades so that American intelligence experts could study them and help train American troops.
Clandestine activities attracted public attention in 1994, when a Soviet-made transport plane was spotted at the Huntsville airport (Alabama). Later it turned out that the plane was carrying the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, which the United States acquired in Belarus as part of a secret project worth $ 100 million.
The S-300 (SA-10 according to the NATO classification) is an advanced long-range air defense system designed to protect large areas in a much wider radius. The Osa air defense system is a short-range tactical air defense system designed to move with ground troops and provide cover from aircraft and helicopters. Although the Wasp has a shorter range, it is very mobile and potentially easier to hide.
Some of the Soviet-made weapons were stored at the American military base at the Redstone Arsenal (Alabama), which, as noted on its website, serves as an "army center for missile programs." According to officials, at least part of what the United States handed over to Ukraine was sent from this base, adding that recently C-17 military transport planes flew to the nearest airfield in Huntsville.
According to one American official, the S-300 air defense system from Belarus was not among the systems that were sent to Ukraine.
The annual government spending bill, recently passed by the US Congress and signed by President Biden, includes wording authorizing the administration to transfer aircraft, ammunition, vehicles and other equipment to the Ukrainian military and NATO partners that is either already abroad or is in stock.
Senator Joni Ernst (Republican from Iowa) and his colleagues, who advocated the use of this wording, said that Soviet-made air defense systems would be subject to the new legislation.
Ukraine already has some Russian air defense systems, including the S-300 air defense system. However, it needs more such systems that can operate at medium and long range to repel attacks by Russian aircraft and missiles. Portable Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which the United States and NATO countries supply to Ukraine, are effective only against helicopters and low-flying aircraft.
The United States hopes that the provision of additional air defense means will allow Ukraine to create a de facto no-fly zone, since the United States and its NATO allies have rejected Ukraine's calls to take this step. This, according to Biden administration officials, could lead to a direct confrontation between the US-led alliance and Russian forces, which they intend to avoid.
Biden will visit Brussels and the NATO summit this week to discuss "ongoing deterrence and defense efforts" against Ukraine, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin also visited Europe to discuss the possibilities of strengthening Ukraine's defense capability.
"We continue to work with our allies and key partners to deliver new aid to Ukraine every day, including Soviet or Russian-made anti-aircraft missile systems and the necessary ammunition for their use," the US official said.
Lloyd Austin visited Slovakia last week to find out if the country will send the S-300 air defense system from its arsenal. Slovakia has said it will do so if the US provides a replacement, but such an agreement has not yet been agreed.
American-made weapons, such as the Patriot air defense system, are in short supply, and their operation requires American military specialists or months of training in the United States. German and Dutch Patriot air defense units are being sent to Slovakia as a temporary measure, the governments of these countries said.
"We have been negotiating with the United States," Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nagy told reporters during a joint press conference with Lloyd Austin. "If a situation arises where we have a proper replacement or the necessary guaranteed capabilities for a certain period of time, we will be ready to discuss the future of the S-300 air defense system."
Comment bmpd. The United States received a number of combat vehicles 9A33BM2 / BM3 anti-aircraft missile systems 9K33M2 / M3 "Osa-AK / AKM" in the early 1990s from Eastern Europe and from the arsenal of the army of the former GDR. these complexes were used in the United States during combat training for enemy simulation tasks
As for the S-300P air defense system from Slovakia, Slovakia has one division of the S-300PMU air defense system (an export version of the S-300PS air defense system), received by the Czechoslovak Republic in 1989, but in 1993, after the collapse of Czechoslovakia, transferred to Slovakia under the division of military property.
