In view of the new alignment in terms of foreign policy of the current government, Ecuador is finalizing the details for the transfer of Russian-origin weaponry in possession of its Armed Forces to the United States, which will subsequently be delivered to Ukraine as part of the military aid provided by the Western bloc for use in the war against Russia.
In particular, it would involve short-range anti-aircraft missile systems 9K33 Osa/Osa-AKM or Mi-8/17 helicopters, which are in the inventory of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces. It is worth noting that in an interview given by the President of the Republic of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, he referred to the Russian weaponry to be transferred to the US as ‘junk´.
According to various sources, the initial batch to be transferred would consist of six 9K33 Osa anti-aircraft missile launchers along with an undetermined number of missiles. However, it is estimated that the package of weaponry to be transferred would be larger, which would include at least 18 BM-21 Grad rocket launchers; 6 multi-purpose Mil Mi-8/17 helicopters; approximately 160 ZPU-1/2 and ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft cannons, and an unspecified number of 9K32 Strela-2 and 9K38 Igla anti-aircraft missile launchers.
It is worth noting that in addition, the Ecuadorian Armed Forces would have a dozen Mil Mi-17 helicopters, which are joined by BTR-3 personnel transport armored vehicles, MT-55 bridge-laying vehicles, VT-55A tank recovery vehicles, AT-3B Sagger B anti-tank missiles (ATGM), RPG-7 and 9K132 Grad-P Partisan rocket launchers, BM-21 Grad rocket launchers, ZSU-23-4 and ZPU-4 anti-aircraft systems, and the aforementioned 9k33 OSA-AKM, 9K32 Strela-2, 9K38 Igla anti-aircraft missiles.
*Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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