Belgium investigates possible weapons in Russia
The EU state is examining media reports that weapons manufactured in the country may have been used in attacks in Russia’s Belgorod region. “We have asked our intelligence and military services to analyze this. I have no confirmation of this,” Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told Belgian broadcaster RTBF on Monday, according to the Belga news agency. In general, very strict rules apply to arms deliveries to Ukraine.
According to a report by the Washington Post on Saturday, fighters from anti-Kremlin militias in the Russian-Ukrainian border region of Belgorod are using armaments supplied by NATO countries. Among them are weapons from Belgian production.
The Ukrainian side has been shelling the Belgorod region with artillery for days, and in some cases saboteurs and terrorists, as they are called in Moscow, have advanced into Russian territory. Several people died, many were injured, entire towns are being evacuated. Authorities reported severe damage to homes. However, the attacks on Russian territory bear no relation to the consequences of the war in Ukraine.
According to Belga, De Croo reminded that the weapons supplied are intended for defense purposes on Ukrainian territory in the face of the Russian invasion. There are extremely strict rules for Belgian guns and guns from other European countries. “We call on the Ukrainians to clarify the situation,” said the head of government.
At the moment there is no official confirmation of where the weapons came from, a spokesman for the Belgian defense minister said on Monday. It could also be weapons found on the battlefield or delivered from other countries.