Georgia refuses to return weapons donated by Ukraine to help it fight against Russia

“Georgia refuses to return the weapons that kyiv had provided to it in the context of its previous conflict with Russia”. This is the accusation of Andrei Kasyanov, the Ukrainian charge d’affaires in this Caucasian country. According to the daily The Odessa Journal, kyiv actually asked Tbilisi to return the two Buk-M1-2 anti-aircraft missile systems to it. Ukraine had sent these two technologies to Georgia to help it against Moscow during the 2008 Russo-Georgian war.

The Buk (beech in Russian) is a medium-range multi-purpose mobile anti-aircraft system that entered service in 1998. This Russian technology is intended for the defense of ground forces, armored vehicles and vital points (bridges, communication centers, power stations , ports). This device can also operate in an environment of intense electromagnetic and nuclear interference. More specifically, the system consists of four elements: an acquisition radar capable of engaging six targets simultaneously, a command post, a firing platform with four launch pads and a firing/loading system.

All these components are each mounted on a tracked tractor-erector-launcher, giving them great mobility. All these vehicles constantly exchange the data they collect, which makes it possible to form a unified defense system covering a vast area in the sky. Therefore, if a radar of a Bouk breaks down, it can use the radar of its neighbor in the network. To intercept and destroy detected targets, Russian technology uses two types of missiles, 9М38M1 and 9М317. These devices can destroy an aircraft at a distance of 45 kilometers and a ballistic missile at a distance of 20 kilometers.

Andrei Kasyanov maintained that it was consistent for Ukraine to demand that Georgia return these two Buk systems. In addition, the Ukrainian diplomat clarified that kyiv also asked Tbilisi to provide him with Javelin anti-tank launchers American made. “This transfer has not only been approved by the United States, but Tbilisi has also received an offer from Washington to replace its Javelin stock with newer systems,” said the Ukrainian charge d’affaires.

Tbilisi remained deaf to the demands of Ukrainian diplomats. Since the Moscow offensive launched in February 2022, Georgia – a country bordering Russia – has preferred to remain neutral. On February 25, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili declared that his state would not join Western sanctions against Moscow. Moreover, this Caucasian country has rejected calls from kyiv to open a new front against the Russian federation by attacking it directly. The Prime Minister of Georgia, as well as other senior officials, said that such a move would only harm the country and go against Georgia’s national interests.

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