Ukraine’s Arms Sector Remains Tightly Controlled, Highly Secretive

Ukraine’s Arms Sector Remains Tightly Controlled, Highly Secretive

This month, there were reports that Ukraine was considering seeking arms deals with both Mexico and Turkey. In an email interview, Taras Kuzio, a fellow at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and an expert in Ukrainian security and politics, explained the recent history and current state of Ukraine’s arms industry.

WPR: Who are the main buyers of Ukrainian arms, and in which categories of arms?

Taras Kuzio: Developing countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, countries in the Middle East and former Soviet client states are the main buyers of Ukrainian arms. The main products are light weaponry, updated Soviet-era helicopters, armored personnel carriers, tanks (especially for Pakistan) and artillery, as well as repair and technical maintenance of old Soviet military equipment.

Keep reading for free

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

Get instant access to the rest of this article by creating a free account below. You'll also get access to three articles of your choice each month and our free newsletter:
Subscribe for an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review
  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of tens of thousands of articles.
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday.
  • The Daily Review email, with our take on the day’s most important news, the latest WPR analysis, what’s on our radar, and more.