Excerpts from 'Arms Export' magzine No. 198:
In its report to the UN Registry, Ukraine confirms its reputation as the
world's leading supplier of second-hand weaponry from the arsenals of the
former Soviet Union. In 2006, for example Ukraine sold T-72 and T-55 tanks,
armored vehicles, artillery systems, and MiG-29 jets. Its clients included
Azerbaijan, the Congo, Iraq, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Vietnam... and even
the United States. Ukraine managed to sell the Americans a batch of
Soviet-made portable surface-to-air missile systems: fourteen 9P58M
launchers and 33 9M36-1 missiles for Strela-3 9K34 systems, 29 9P519
launchers and 71 9M313 missiles for Igla-1 9K310 systems, 49 9P516 launchers
and 99 9M39 missiles for Igla 9K38 systems. Apparently, these weapons will
be used in the research and development process as the United States works
to develop weapons to counter portable surface-to-air missile systems.
Ukraine's arms exports are based on hardware inherited from the USSR. The
only hardware produced by Ukraine's own defense sector is the BTR-3U armored
personnel carrier (a modified clone of the BTR-80, assembled in Kharkiv),
along with R-27 missiles produced by the Artem plant in Kiev.
Ukraine continues to play a destabilizing role in the Caucasus region,
supplying arms to Georgia and Azerbaijan. Ukraine is the leading supplier of
arms and military hardware to both these countries. Most noteworthy: in
2006, Ukraine shipped the first five MiG-29 fighter jets to Azerbaijan -
enhancing the combat capacities of the Azeri Air Force substantially, and
signalling a new round of the arms race in the Caucasus. Ukraine continued
to supply T-72 tanks and 120-mm mortars to Azerbaijan. Ukraine's report to
the Registry fails to mention its delivery of six L-29 training planes to
Georgia in 2006 (although their physical transfer may have been delayed
until early 2007); it also fails to mention supplying Georgia with Osa-AKM
air defense systems and artillery weapons, although these are mentioned in
Georgia's list of imports.
