The paper, citing an unnamed official in Kiev, claims that none of the 20 howitzers provided earlier this year were up to par
FILE PHOTO. © Chris McGrath/Getty Images
Some of the military hardware given to Ukraine by Italy earlier this year was not combat-ready, the Financial Times reported on Saturday. Earlier this week, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky revealed that the country needs even more weapons to pull off a successful counteroffensive.
The FT report quoted an anonymous adviser to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry as saying that none of the “20 self-propelled howitzers Italy provided to Ukraine earlier this year was battle ready.”
The outlet also noted that Kiev’s attempts to persuade the US to supply it with longer-range missiles and F-16 fighter jets have so far been in vain.
According to the report, if the Ukrainian counteroffensive fails to live up to expectations in the West, critics may be emboldened in the US and elsewhere, questioning the feasibility of further military support. Western governments could eventually decide to force Kiev to accept a negotiated settlement, the Times said.
The newspaper concluded that securing major territorial gains against the Russian forces would likely be a tall order for Kiev.
On Wednesday, President Zelensky’s aide, Mikhail Podoliak, insisted that Ukraine still needs more weaponry and equipment, contradicting the US commander of NATO forces in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, who claimed before the House Armed Services Committee that Kiev’s backers had already delivered 98% of the combat vehicles promised to Ukraine.
Last week, Foreign Policy magazine reported that the German-made Leopard tanks given to Ukraine by eight countries would likely pose a logistical challenge to Kiev’s military. The hardware reportedly uses a range of different munitions, meaning Ukraine would not be able to procure the ammunition in bulk.
The Abrams tanks which Washington pledged to provide Kiev earlier this year will likely take months to actually arrive on the battlefield.
