Reports have claimed that Russia is running low on artillery and missiles. AP
Amid an expected spring offensive, Russia has reportedly turned to the Taliban government in Afghanistan for weapons.
A report in the British tabloid newspaper The Sun has claimed that Russian president Vladimir Putin is trying to weapons from the Taliban, including those left by the United States in Afghanistan after its withdrawal in August 2021.
As per a US defense department report, the American troops had left more than $7 billion worth of weapons and equipment when it pulled out of Afghanistan, reported CNN.
Is Russia eyeing US weapons in its war against Ukraine? What arsenal did the US leave in Afghanistan? Is Russia facing a shortage of arms and ammunition? Let’s take a closer look.
Russia and Taliban
Citing the Telegram channel General SVR, The Sun reported that Putin has asked the Taliban for equipment left by the US.
General SVR channel claimed, citing a Kremlin insider, that in exchange for arms, Putin will “recognise” the Taliban government.
“Putin is overseeing negotiations with the Taliban to recognise the Taliban government. In return, the Russian leadership is offering a major arms and military equipment swap,” the Telegram channel claimed, as per The Sun report.
“Putin is reported that the Taliban possess weapons and equipment including those seized after coming to power in Afghanistan, that are scarce for the Russian Army at the front,” it added.
General SVR further stated that those aware of the negotiations say that the Taliban are “extremely surprised” by such proposals, however, are discussing them in “earnest”, reported The Sun.
Firstpost has not independently verified these claims.
Meanwhile, the report comes amid Russia and Pakistan stressing on the need for “practical engagement” with the Taliban.
Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan – Zamir Kabulov – met with Pakistani officials in Islamabad on Wednesday (25 January) and apprised them about his meetings with the Taliban in Kabul earlier this month.
Official Pakistani sources in the know of the meeting told Voice of America (VOA) that Kabulov said Russia will continue to engage with the Taliban but was not considering granting formal recognition to the rulers “for the time being”.
The Russian envoy “advised” the all-male Taliban to create a “politically inclusive” government and ease restrictions on women in order to move forward on the issue of their legitimacy, VOA reported citing sources.
ALSO READ: How the Taliban has returned to haunt Pakistan
US weapons in Afghanistan
As the US troops withdrew from Afghanistan amid the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, 70 per cent of American weapons as well as $48 million worth of ammunition provided to the Afghan forces were left in the war-torn country, Foreign Policy reported in April last year.
The military equipment included 23,825 Humvees and around 900 combat vehicles.
As many as 42,000 pieces of night vision, surveillance, biometric and positioning equipment were also left behind in Afghanistan, as per the Foreign Policy report.
The officials familiar with the defense department report had said that it was unlikely for the Taliban to use the US weapons which require technical support and specialised maintenance. But they had also expressed concerns about the Taliban fighters using small arms including automatic rifles, reported Foreign Policy.
The Taliban fighters were seen atop Humvee vehicles in September 2021. AFP File Photo
The visuals of the Taliban fighters parading with seized US weapons had gone viral in 2021.
Is Russia short on weapons?
No, claims the former Russian president.
Hitting out at Western media reports that Russia is facing a paucity of missiles and artillery, Dmitry Medvedev said earlier this week that Moscow’s weapons stocks were adequate to continue the fight in Ukraine.
“Our opponents are watching, they periodically make statements that we don’t have this or that … I want to disappoint them. We have enough of everything,” Medvedev was quoted as saying by Reuters.
A video posted on the former president’s Telegram channel showed him taking a stock of Kalashnikov rifles, artillery shells, missiles and drones.
Medvedev is the newly appointed head of the military-industrial commission that is monitoring weapons production for the war.
Russian troops have also deployed Iran-made ‘kamikaze’ drones for their attacks in Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. AP File Photo
Despite Russia’s denial, Ukrainian and Western military officials have claimed that Russia is facing a crunch of arms.
In December last year, Britain’s armed forces chief – Admiral Sir Tony Radakin – had said that Russia had planned for a “30-day war” and is now facing a “critical shortage” of artillery shells.
“Russia faces a critical shortage of artillery munitions. This means that their ability to conduct successful offensive ground operations is rapidly diminishing,” he said, as per The Guardian.
“There is no mystery as to why this is the case. Putin planned for a 30-day war, but the Russian guns have now been firing for almost 300 days. The cupboard is bare. Morally, conceptually and physically, Putin’s forces are running low,” the chief of defence staff claimed.
According to Ukraine, Russia had 900 Iskander missiles when the war began in February last year, which was reduced to 119 at the end of November.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to the Ukrainian president, said last December that he believed Moscow had only enough cruise missiles for “two or three” more mass strikes against Ukraine, The Guardian reported.
With inputs from agencies
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