Pakistan has been supplying vital weapons from its Ordnance Factory to Ukraine for financial and navy good points since August 22, sources have informed News18.

The ammunition has been shipped and air transported in October 22, December 22 and January 23. The tranches of weapons primarily embody 122 MM Artillery, 122 mm MBRL, Rockets, 12.77 mm API, 60 mm HE, M4A2 propellant costs, weapon spares, fuzes and M82 Primers. The ammunition has additionally been noticed within the Ukraine struggle zone, the sources stated.

The consignment is big and has been shipped discreetly from Karachi in addition to by way of chartered flights from Air Force Station, Nur Khan, at Rawalpindi by way of international locations comparable to Cyprus and Romania. The sources added that extra provide orders are additionally being ready and a few military depots — Gwadar and Sargodha — have additionally equipped these ammunition from reserve shares.

The weapons are actively being utilized by Ukrainians to meet their wants for the previous few months. From vital scarcity of artillery in June 22, the Ukrainians have now retaliated firmly with the increase offered by the brand new provide from Pakistan. The manufacture marking of ‘POF’ on the equipped ammunition signifies its supply from Pakistan Ordnance Factory.

It is believed that shut cooperation between Pakistan, UK and USA for the provision of arms and ammunition may have paved the way in which for eradicating Pakistan from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) gray checklist in addition to guaranteeing help from Western international locations and worldwide banks.

The scale

The 155mm projectile ammunition is for 155mm Howitzers (Artillery Gun) which are being utilized by Ukraine in opposition to Russia. One lot of this ammunition has 5,000 projectiles and 159 such containers had been despatched to Ukraine by Pakistan in January 2023. This ammunition could be fired from NATO specified 155mm Artillery Gun comparable to M777 Towed 155mm and KRAB (155mm) Self Propelled Gun. Both these weapons are being utilized by Ukraine. The ammunition could be fired until a distance of 14.6 kilometres.

Till December 2022, Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF) and Wah Industries Limited (WIL) had shipped 155mm ammunition price $122 million. Of this quantity, cost obtained is $40.238 million, whereas orders in hand are price $56.23 million.

Impact on Pak-Russia ties

The ammunition provide might have detrimental implications for Russia-Pakistan ties and defy Russian pursuits, amounting to backstabbing since Russians have been actively aiding Pakistan.

In September final yr, Russian Envoy to India Denis Alipov had asserted that if experiences of arms provide by Pakistan to Ukraine are confirmed, it can have critical and detrimental implications for ties between the international locations.

“Russia has taken serious note of reports of arms supply from Pakistan to Ukraine. If such reports are confirmed then it will have serious and negative implications for Russia-Pakistan ties,” Alipov had stated.

The provide of arms and ammunition is constant regardless of Russian assist to Pakistan by way of provide of crude oil and wheat at discounted costs, aside from different vital commerce. A Russian delegation was in Pakistan not too long ago to negotiate the commerce offers on January 16.

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