Even though a severe lack of food and a worsening economic crisis are making life very hard for millions of people in Pakistan, the country is about to send another shipment of weapons and ammunition to help Ukraine fight Russia’s invasion.
155mm artillery shells, M4A2 propelling bag charges, M82 primers, and PDM fuses are all set to be sent to Ukraine in 159 containers, according to a report by the Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW). Over the next few weeks, this huge load will be sent to Ukraine through Poland.
The Economic Times said that a Pakistani shipping and brokerage company called Project Shipping will send a ship called BBC Vesuvius from the Karachi Port to the Gdansk Port in Poland at the end of this month.
Pakistan is doing this even though it has been ignoring Russia’s requests for ammunition and weapons. In exchange for help to Ukraine, western countries will help Pakistan with supplies and upgrades to some of its western military equipment, according to news reports.
Pakistan may get military help from the Ukraine, which could help it improve its Mi-17 helicopters.
In the past, Ukraine and Pakistan had close military and business ties. Since Ukraine broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991 and became independent, the two countries have had a close relationship in the defence field.
Between 1991 and 2020, Ukraine sold nearly $1.6 billion worth of weapons and other military gear to Pakistan. These include more than 320 T-80UD tanks and a fully developed system for their maintenance, use, ammunition, and spare parts.
If the news is true, Pakistan also made a deal with Ukraine for $85.6 million to fix and maintain its fleet of T-80UD tanks.
