Cyprus transfers weapons and military equipment of Russian production to Ukraine

Cyprus, after the lifting of the US arms embargo, decided to thank the White House by sending Soviet and Russian-made weapons to Ukraine.

Following the islands of the eastern Aegean, which were deprived of a number of weapons systems, and culminating in the withdrawal of the BMP-1, Cyprus is preparing to “retaliate” for the lifting of the US arms embargo and send Ukraine, at the direction of the US, its Russian-made weapons systems. Since the weapons systems of Russian and generally Eastern production during the Cold War from all over Europe “dry out”.

Cyprus, however, is a “treasury” for the Ukrainian arsenal: it has excellent and relatively new Russian weapons systems, from modern BMP-3s to BUK-M1 medium-range anti-aircraft missiles and TOR-M1 systems, which it now provides to Ukraine if it receives from US related weapon systems.

So will the US give Cyprus M1A2 tanks? Or anti-aircraft systems of the BUK and TOR class, which they will buy, for example, from Germany or France, since the United States does not have medium-range air defense? Or will they give them the Patriots?

Of course, Cyprus can perfectly and directly equip the two Ukrainian armored brigades and provide them with anti-aircraft cover with the Buk-M1 and TOR-M1 mobile artillery mounts that Kyiv needs.

According to sources of the Greek publication pronews.gr, this issue was discussed with the Greek government, which agreed to such a decision. As Marios Pelecanos, spokesman for the Anastasiades government, told The New York Times today, Cyprus is “ready to consider transferring some of its weapons and ammunition to Ukraine if they are replaced by other military equipment of equal power and capability. “In recent months, We had many meetings with US officials during which we also discussed this possibility.”

A US official told the NYT: “Cyprus is now an option as a supplier to Ukraine. The lifting of the embargo is an important step towards strengthening ties with NATO and strengthening security in the eastern Mediterranean.”

Cyprus has 41 T-80U/UK tanks with Thales Catherine FC thermal imagers, replacing the old Russian T01-P01. Also, without modern cameras, it still has 41 tanks of the same version. It still has 43 Thales Catherine FC (Autonomous Modular Fire Control) BMP-3s that the Ukrainian army does not have and are more modern than those in service with the Russian army.

There are also 62 Kornet-E long-range anti-tank missile systems, 9K11 Malyutka-40 anti-tank missiles (AT-3 Sagger B) and, of course, primarily BUK-M1 anti-aircraft systems (two divisions) with 16 mobile quadruple launchers, 6 automatic control systems TOR-M1, hundreds of 40-mm automatic guns of the CIS, etc.

With the help of these weapons and ammunition, Ukraine could even turn the tide of the conflict in some sector of the front. They are much more modern than those that Ukraine received from any Western state, and in much greater numbers. The question is whether the Americans will replace them in a 1:1 ratio or, as was the case with the Marder-1A3 for Greece, give incomplete and used systems.

Note that Nicosia will not have a “second chance” if she gives her weapons to Zelensky and does not replace them not only at the same time, but before he donates them for training of the National Guard. The political problem she will have with Russia is, of course, out of the question…

Greece withdrew its troops from the Eastern Aegean and Dodecanese islands and sent the following weapons, systems and ammunition to Ukraine:

• 122 BMP-1 with all ammunition for machine guns
• 15,000 shells of 73 mm caliber.
• All IFVs, 2100 122mm rockets including all ammunition and all 122mm launchers.
• 20,000 AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifles
• 3,200,000 rounds of 7.62 mm
• 60 MANPADS FIM-92 Stinger,
• 17,000 155 mm artillery shells
• 1,100 RPG-18 anti-tank missiles

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