Ukrainian Paratroopers To Receive US Javelin Anti-Tank Missile Systems In 2019 - President

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2018) Ukrainian air assault units will receive armored personnel carriers, cargo and special purpose vehicles, and anti-tank missile systems, including US Javelin, in 2019, the country's President Petro Poroshenko said on Wednesday.

"Next year, the work will be continued on the provision of the airborne troops with armored personnel carriers, cargo and special vehicles, 'Svitiaz' command vehicles, anti-tank missile systems, including Javelin," Poroshenko said at training ground in Zhytomyr region on the occasion of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces Day.

According to him, in recent years, about 150 pieces of weaponry and military equipment have been transferred to the air assault troops in recent years, in particular BTR-3DA armored personnel carriers and Stugna and Corsar anti-tank missile systems and 40 Hummer armored and sanitary vehicles, the president said.

In 2017, US administration approved deliveries of weapons to Kiev, including Javelin portable anti-tank missile systems. The previous Washington administration refused to do so, despite repeated requests from the Ukrainian side.

Moscow has repeatedly warned against supplying weapons to Ukraine, saying that this would result in an escalation of the military conflict in the country's eastern Donbas region, ongoing since 2014. This stance has also been supported by a number of European officials.