Journalists suggest that Iranian weapons could get into Ukraine through third countries, in particular through the United States.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine use HM-16 mortars and Iranian-made 120-mm high-explosive artillery mines. About it reported Ukraine Weapons Tracker analysts, citing images released by servicemen of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after King Daniel.
“Another entry in the list of Iranian types of ammunition used by the Ukrainian army. This time, 120-mm high-explosive fragmentation mortars M48 – here the troops of the 24th mechanized brigade carried fire from the HM-16 mortar. Both the mortar and mortar bombs are produced in Iran “, the source says.
Soldiers of the 24th Motorized Brigade named after King Daniel use an Iranian mortar
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Portal “Military” suggested that the Armed Forces of Ukraine could receive mortars and mines through intermediary countries in the supply chain from Iran to Ukraine. In addition, the United States could become a supplier. Washington could send Iranian weapons to Ukraine from intercepted smuggling shipments from Iran to Yemen.
It is noted that the mines used in the video were produced in 2022, as indicated by the corresponding marking. The online publication refers to analysts’ data, according to which the number of 120-mm mines of Iranian origin in the Ukrainian army is measured “not in hundreds or even thousands of shells – there are more of them.”
The work of the 24th Motorized Brigade named after King Daniel with the Iranian mortar HM-16
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Iranian HM-16 mortars are an unlicensed copy of the Israeli Soltam K6 mortar, created by Soltam Systems of Israel. The maximum engagement range of the HM-16 reaches 6600 meters.
A February 15 report in The Wall Street Journal reported that the United States was considering supplying the Armed Forces with confiscated Iranian weapons. According to journalists, it was about more than 5,000 machine guns, 1.6 million cartridges for small arms, more than 7,000 fuses and a small number of anti-tank missiles.
Recall that on January 13, Ukraine Weapons Tracker analysts noted that Iranian missiles for the Grad missile defense system appeared in the arsenal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This became known thanks to the markings, the characteristic black color at the end of the rocket, as well as the DM111 fuse.
