The US military has found a workaround to provide military assistance to Ukraine’s defense against Russia, as future funding for Ukraine’s military defense in Congress faces uncertainty. Defense officials, in collaboration with the US Justice Department, have reportedly been working for months on transferring weapons, including rifles and anti-tank missiles, to Ukraine from an unexpected source—the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
These weapons and supplies were originally bound for Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, where Iranian-backed forces have been engaged in a long-standing conflict against a US-Saudi coalition. US officials seized the weapons, ammunition, and other supplies intended for Yemen and redirected some of them to Ukraine.
US Central Command confirmed this weapons transfer in a press release, with CNN reporting that the effort had been ongoing since at least March. The US Justice Department utilized the civil forfeiture process to navigate bureaucratic obstacles in Washington.
The press release from CENTCOM stated, “On Oct. 2, 2023, the U.S. government transferred approximately 1.1 million 7.62mm rounds to the Ukrainian armed forces. The government obtained ownership of these munitions on July 20, 2023, through the Department of Justice’s civil forfeiture claims against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The munitions were being transferred from the IRGC to the Houthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216.”
This development is seen as positive news for Ukraine’s military and civilian government, which had sought continued support from US lawmakers. While there is broad support for Ukraine in the Senate, skepticism has grown within the House Republican caucus regarding further funding for various reasons.
President Joe Biden addressed the issue of Ukraine funding during a press briefing following the House’s passage of a clean funding resolution to avoid a government shutdown. However, the prospects of Ukraine funding making it through the House in the immediate future appear bleak, as a group of rebel Republicans recently ousted their party’s Speaker, causing a standstill in the chamber. Biden urged lawmakers to vote on Ukraine funding, emphasizing bipartisan support for Ukraine in both the House and the Senate.
Source: wit agencies