Reminding Of Black Market Risks Of Western Arms For Ukraine, Russian Diplomat: Already In Bosnia, Albania And Kosovo

JAKARTA - Western countries ignore the fact that arms shipments to Ukraine will lead to the emergence of a black market for weapons, especially in Western Europe, according to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

"They believe this is a one-way ticket. Well, actually not, why? They believe that they get rid of obsolete weapons by shipping them to Ukraine or to a third country, and they force older equipment into Ukraine," she said, quoted by TASS June 9.

"However, they forget that this arms shipment to Ukraine will lead to the emergence of an arms black market, especially in Western Europe," continued Zakharova.

Zakharova further explained, so far the authority of the supplying country has been silent about this issue. But independent experts and related structures, such as Interpol, are already sounding the alarm.

"They understand what will happen with all this. According to media reports, international crime gangs have developed a game plan for arms exports from Ukraine, including heavy weapons. And some weapons are already in Bosnia, Albania, Kosovo, and so on," Zakharova said.

"It is true now, that the West, the US, and NATO, in general, are showing unparalleled concern about the fate of the Balkans. But we understand what future awaits the Balkans under NATO's wing, and with such a renewed illicit arms market," the diplomat said.

"Those who send weapons to Kyiv today will be responsible for the safety of their own citizens and for the weapons obtained by criminals and terrorists. They will be held accountable not from the point of view of lawsuits and legal liability, but only from the point of view that, in the historical context, these will be recorded as the so-called achievements of countries centered on NATO, and they will not be able to avoid it. Evidence will appear here and there, even when weapons appear during investigations of contract killings, robberies, raids, and others." he added.

As previously reported, Interpol warned that the risk of the black market being flooded with illegal weapons when the war in Ukraine ends could be exploited by criminal groups, as the West moves to provide Ukraine with a lot of weapons against Russia.

"We have seen that in the Balkans region, in Africa, of course, organized crime groups are trying to take advantage of this chaotic situation, the availability of weapons and even the weapons used by the military," Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock quoted AAPA France's Sputnik News as saying.

Since Russia began special military operations in Ukraine on February 24, the United States and its allies have flooded Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of weapons.

However, arms supplies funneled to Ukraine are likely to end up in the global hidden economy and in the hands of criminals, the Interpol chief said. According to Jürgen Stock, once the active phase of operations in Ukraine ends, a steady supply of weapons and heavy weapons will flood the international market.

At that point, he stressed, Interpol member countries, especially those currently supplying weapons, need to cooperate in weapons tracking.

"Once weapons are silent (in Ukraine), illegal weapons will come. We know this from many other theaters of conflict. Criminals even now, as we speak, focus on them," he explained.