Tag: weapons

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Ukraine fears increased Russian aggression after US halt of weapons supply

Kyiv has warned that an interruption of US weapons shipments will encourage Russia to prolong the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.

On Tuesday the White House said it had cut off some weapons deliveries to Ukraine.

The decision was taken “to put America’s interests first” following a defence department review of US “military support and assistance to other countries”, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the two countries were now “clarifying all the details on supplies”, while the foreign ministry warned any delays “would only encourage the aggressor to continue war and terror, rather than seek peace”.

The ministry particularly emphasised the need for Kyiv to strengthen its air defences – as Russia continues to pummel the country with missiles and drones on a near-nightly basis.

A Kyiv-based US diplomat was invited to the foreign ministry for talks on Wednesday.

However, Ukraine’s defence ministry said it had not received any official notification from the US about the “suspension or revision” of the weapons deliveries, and urged people not to speculate on the basis of partial information.

But in a statement the defence ministry also said the path to ending the war was “through consistent and joint pressure on the aggressor”.

At the weekend Ukraine endured its biggest aerial attack since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, with more than 500 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles launched at its cities.

US officials did not immediately say which shipments were being halted.

According to American broadcaster NBC, the weapons being delayed could include Patriot interceptors, Howitzer munitions, missiles and grenade launchers.

The US has sent tens of billions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, leading some in the Trump administration to voice concerns that US stockpiles are too low.

The Kremlin, for its part, welcomed news of the reduction in weapons shipments, saying reducing the flow of weapons to Kyiv will help end the conflict faster.

“The fewer the number of weapons that are delivered to Ukraine, the closer the end of the special military operation,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Fedir Venislavskyi, an MP for Ukraine’s ruling party, said the decision was “painful, and against the background of the terrorist attacks which Russia commits against Ukraine… it’s a very unpleasant situation”.

A Ukrainian military source quoted by the AFP news agency said Kyiv was “seriously dependent on American arms supplies, although Europe is doing its best, but it will be difficult for us without American ammunition”.

Ukraine’s European allies have spent billions in military aid over the last three-and-a-half years.

However, military support for Kyiv is not endorsed by everyone on the political spectrum.

Czech President and former top Nato official, Petr Pavel, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine – but he told BBC Russian he could “not guarantee” continued ammunition support for Kyiv, as that was dependent on the result of forthcoming Czech elections.

“I don’t know what will be the priorities of a new government,” he said.

The Pentagon’s move is based on concerns that US military stockpiles are falling too low, a source told CBS News, although Anna Kelly stressed “the strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned – just ask Iran”.

Separately, the US Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, said in a statement the Pentagon “continues to provide the President with robust options to continue military aid to Ukraine”.

However, he added “the department is rigorously examining and adapting its approach to achieving this objective while also preserving US forces’ readiness for Administration defence priorities”.

The pause comes less than a week after President Donald Trump discussed air defences with Volodymyr Zelensky at the Nato summit in the Netherlands.

Trump said US officials “are going to see if we can make some of them available” when asked by the BBC about providing extra Patriot anti-missile systems to Ukraine.

Referring to his conversation with Zelensky, Trump said: “We had a little rough times sometimes, but he couldn’t have been nicer.”

The two had a heated confrontation in the Oval Office in February. Afterwards, Trump said he was pausing military aid to Ukraine that had been earmarked by the previous Biden administration. Intelligence sharing with Ukraine was also suspended. (BBC)

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Police arrest 51 suspects, recover weapons in Kano anti-thuggery operation 

The Kano State Police Command has arrested 51 suspects and recovered dangerous weapons and illicit drugs during a three-day clearance operation across several volatile communities in the Kano metropolis.

The intelligence-led operation, which took place between Friday, June 13, and Sunday, June 15, targeted known criminal hideouts in Kano Municipal, Dala, Gwale, and Tarauni local government areas. Specifically, the police stormed areas such as Kofar Mata, Zage, Kurna, Rijiyar Lemo, Dorayi, Hotoro, and Sheka Quarters.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Hussaini Abdullahi, the Command said the suspects were arrested with weapons often used to terrorise residents, noting that the clampdown was part of ongoing efforts to rid the state capital of “thuggery and its associated crimes.”

“The Command’s intelligence-led offensives against thuggery in Kano metropolis have yielded tremendous success. A total of fifty-one (51) suspects were arrested, and several dangerous weapons and illicit drugs were recovered. The Command is fully determined to decisively tackle thuggery and its related offences”, the statement partly read.

The police listed the names and aliases of the suspects, many of whom are in their early twenties and hail from neighbourhoods such as Sheka, Hausawa, Bachirawa, and Zango.

Among the arrested were notorious individuals like Ayuba Zakariyya a.k.a Shamakin, 24; Aliyu Usaini a.k.a Aliko, 23; and Abdulsalam Abubakar, 19, all of whom were picked up from different hotspots in Sheka, Kurna, and surrounding areas.

The police warned that brandishing weapons under the guise of traditional performances, such as the controversial Kidan Gangi, would no longer be tolerated.

The practice, which often involves youths parading through neighbourhoods with swords, daggers, and other weapons, has drawn concern from authorities due to its links to rising violence.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, warned that such displays on social media platforms—including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter)—only serve to encourage and recruit teenagers into criminal gangs.

“Let this serve as a strong warning to individuals who engage in this form of reckless behaviour. The Kano State Police Command will not condone the promotion or normalisation of thuggery, either offline or online,” Bakori declared.

He also urged parents and guardians to take greater responsibility in monitoring their children’s movements and online activities.

“Any parent found conspiring with their wards to conceal weapons or allowing such to be kept at home will be investigated and prosecuted accordingly,” the statement added. “Blacksmiths who manufacture these dangerous weapons for youths will also face the full wrath of the law.”

The police have called on residents to support security efforts by reporting suspicious activities, promising that all reports will be treated with utmost confidentiality. (Punch)

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UK to spend £1.5bn on six new weapons factories

The government will spend £1.5bn on at least six new munitions and explosives factories to “better deter our adversaries”, Defence Secretary John Healey has said.

The factories will support up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons and create about 1,800 new jobs, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

The announcement is part of the government’s strategic defence review (SDR), which is due to be published on Monday.

The Conservatives said they welcomed investment in new munitions but shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge called for “greater ambition for the pace and scale of rearmament our armed forces require”

The war in Ukraine has highlighted serious deficiencies in the West’s ability to produce weapons and munitions, and senior British military officers have long warned about the UK’s depleted stockpiles.

As part of its review, the government said it would build new factories to make key munitions and explosives as part of its plans to have an “always on” munitions production capacity that could be scaled up quickly.

It also said the UK would purchase more than 7,000 British-built long-range weapons, including drones and missiles, over several years.

According to the MoD, the new funding will see UK munitions spend hit £6bn during this parliament.

Ministers said the extra investment – which came after Healy said that UK defence spending would rise to 3% of GDP by 2034 at the latest – would strengthen the armed forces and boost British jobs.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “A strong economy needs a strong national defence, and investing in weaponry and munitions and backing nearly 2,000 jobs across Britain in doing so is proof the two go hand-in-hand.

“We are delivering both security for working people in an uncertain world and good jobs, putting more money in people’s pockets.”

Healey said the UK’s defence industry would become an “engine for economic growth” and would “boost skilled jobs in every nation and region”.

“The hard-fought lessons from [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them,” he added. (BBC)