US Arms Ukraine with Thousands of Seized Iranian Guns, Rifles and Munitions
The United States has transferred to Ukraine thousands of infantry weapons and more than 500,000 rounds of ammunition that were seized more than a year ago as they were being shipped by Iran to Houthi forces in Yemen.
The US military said the transfer was made on April 4, the latest military assistance that US President Joe Biden’s administration has provided to Kyiv following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Democrat Biden has been blocked from providing further US weaponry to Kyiv by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s refusal to call a vote on $60bn in new security assistance. With Ukrainian forces running low on weapons and munitions, especially heavy artillery rounds, Washington and its allies have been searching for new ways to arm Kyiv.
Posting on social media platform X, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the hardware included more than 5,000 AK-47 assault rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, as well as more than 500,000 rounds of 7.62 ammunition.
The munitions were taken from four “stateless” vessels intercepted by US naval ships and those of partner forces – which were not identified – between May 22, 2021 and February 15, 2023, CENTCOM added.
“This constitutes enough material to equip one Ukrainian brigade with small arms rifles,” the statement added. An infantry brigade is typically made up of between 3,500 and 4,000 troops.
Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations said: “We cannot comment on weapons and armaments that have never belonged to us.”
The weapons were being sent by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to the Houthis, CENTCOM said.
