What weapons did Greece send to Ukraine, and where did it come from

The Greek authorities, in order to provide assistance to Ukraine, dispatched 2 aircraft with military equipment and Kalashnikov assault rifles. But where did Greece get Soviet military equipment and Kalashnikovs from? About this in our publication.

Like “Russian Athens” previously reportedOn February 27, in the evening, the Greek authorities sent 2 C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, with weapons and medicines, to Ukraine via Poland. No details were given about what the planes were, but cunning journalists sniffed out that the missiles that were on the list were the Russian C-300 system, as well as AK47 Kalashnikov assault rifles and 20 boxes of medicines …

Where did Greece (NATO countries) get the S-300 from?

Back in 1999, Cyprus acquired anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia, for the deployment of which several military facilities were urgently built.

The appearance of such powerful air defense systems in service with the Cypriot army caused sharp discontent in Turkey. The United States also began to put pressure on Cyprus, which at that time still had quite acceptable relations with Ankara. As a result, Turkish-American pressure led to the fact that Cyprus in 2006-2007. handed over the S-300 to Greece.

In 2007, the missiles were finally and irrevocably sold to Greece in exchange for alternative military items believed to consist of a significant number of TOR-M1 short-range missile systems and a number of medium-range missiles.

The Greek military command redeployed the S-300 from Cyprus to the Greek island of Crete. In 2013, Greece fired for the first time from the S-300, which was the first test of a Russian-made anti-aircraft missile system in the history of the country. Then the air defense system participated in the White Eagle NATO exercises, held in Crete in the same year, while there were no questions from the command of the combined forces of the alliance about this fact.

Interestingly, as part of the air defense of the Greek Air Force, the Russian S-300 air defense systems in the amount of 12 launchers are adjacent to the American Patriot (36 launchers), as well as the French Crotale NG / GR systems. At the same time, the S-300 air defense systems became the first anti-aircraft missile system in service with the Greek army, capable of hitting ballistic missiles.

Later Greece raised the issue on the modernization of the complex to the S-300PMU-2 “Favorit” version, but after the conclusion defense agreement with the United States the latter insisted that Greece remove Russian weapons from combat duty.

According to data leaked to local media, it was these S-300s that Greece sent to Ukraine. (This information has not been denied or confirmed).

Vessel “Nur M” in the port of Rhodes

Where did the Kalashnikovs come from?

The AK 47 story began on November 8, 2013, when the Greek coast guard ship detained the ship “Nur M” under the flag of Sier Leone. The ship left the port of Nikolaev (Ukraine) and then, after standing in Istanbul, again went to sea. The captain of the ship named the Turkish port of Iskenderun as the destination. At the same time, the Greek authorities received information that part of the cargo could be destined for delivery to the ports of Tartus (Syria) and Tripoli (Libya).

In 56 containers, there were indeed boxes with 20,000 Kalashnikov AK47 assault rifles produced during the Soviet Union, as well as cartridges and other ammunition (explosives). The Greek Foreign Ministry requested and received confirmation from the Ukrainian side regarding the originality of the documents for the sent weapons.

According to a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry official who asked not to be named, someone from Russia called Greece and said that information about the weapons being transported was most likely leaked by the Russian side, since it is also one of the main dealers in similar weapons, and Ukraine , in this case, they “crossed the road.” As a result, despite the scandal and attempts to sue, the Greek authorities decided to confiscate the cargo.

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