JAKARTA - Russian officials again said the majority of the weapons aid sent by the West to Ukraine fell into the wrong hands, with EU law enforcement agencies also having issued similar warnings.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Maria Zakharova said supplies of Western advanced weapons to Ukraine found their way into the black market, and later into the hands of extremist and criminal groups in the Middle East, Central Africa, and Asia.
Since Russia launched its war with Ukraine on February 24, Europe's largest land invasion since World War Two, Western powers have sent Ukraine various weapons in an effort to help troops fighting Russian troops.
Zakharova explained that NATO members in total had sent at least 700 artillery systems, 80,000 missile systems, 800,000 artillery shells and 90 million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine.
"Most of these weapons have entered, or will soon enter, the black market," Zakharova told reporters in Moscow.
"Now the world community is facing this," he said.
However, Zakharova did not say what evidence was the basis for her statement.
"NATO's military cargo ends in the hands of terrorists, extremists, and criminal groups in the Middle East, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia," Zakharova added.
Zakharova added that the European Union is a party to the conflict in Ukraine because the bloc has supplied advanced weapons to Kyiv.
Previously, Russia had long warned that weapons aimed at Ukraine could fall into the hands of criminals, although without providing details where the weapons would end.
Meanwhile, Western leaders say they want to help Ukraine beat Russia, even though US President Joe Biden has been trying to prevent a direct NATO-Russian confrontation.
Separately, Interpol Head J\"urgen Stock, said in June some advanced weapons sent to Ukraine could end up in the hands of organized crime groups.
Meanwhile, Europol said in July it was working with Ukraine to reduce the threat of arms trafficking.
"The potential threat observed in war zones in the past is that firearms could fall into the wrong hands," he said at the time.
"Regarding the war in Ukraine, Europol has warned that the proliferation of firearms and explosives in Ukraine could lead to increased firearms and ammunition traded to the EU via smuggling routes or online platforms. This threat may even be higher after the conflict ends." Europol said.
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