A soldier salutes as Ukrainian missiles pass down Kiev's main street during a military parade to mark the 17th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence, in the capital in Kiev, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008.
Photo: AP
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Ukrainian Tanks on Faina Destined for S. Sudan
Ukraine has again found itself in the heat of the scandal triggered by weapons export. The BBC obtained a freight manifest proving that the weapons on board the MV Faina were destined for South Sudan. The pirates hijacked Faina dry-cargo freighter September 25.
According to the freight manifest, Kenya’s government made the contract on behalf of South Sudan. Kenya that has always reiterated that the weapons on board are for its army is just the receiver of cargo.
Although the weapons export isn’t regarded as the breach of laws, the support of a conflict party in Somali jeopardizes not only Kenya but also Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, whose weapons export activities are today’s concern of the opposition.
Kiev had supplied weapons to Tbilisi, it emerged after Georgia’s assault on South Ossetia and the following operation of Russia’s military for enforcing the peace on Georgia. The prices had been very low and the supplies had been carried out to the detriment of Ukrainian defensive capacity.
Yushchenko personally supervised the supplies to Georgia. It was the contraband export, concluded the parliamentary commission, while the opposition Party of Regions claims that the president not only traded in weapons but also attempted to cover up tracks and Ukrainian biggest weapon warehouses in the Kharkov region took fire exactly because of it.
According to Ukrainian Communist Party, that export hindered defensive capacity of Ukraine. The antiaircraft missile systems were removed from duty to be delivered to Saakashvili at prices that were three to four times below the actual ones.
Meanwhile, the pirates still hold Ukrainian Faina; they lowered the ransom from $20 million to $8 million Tuesday.
www.kommersant.com
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