February 2, 2024
The customs service detained containers from China with uniforms for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Trans-Baikal Territory, said the head of the Chita customs Vladimir Ignatiev.
“The cargo was in transit through China to Poland. The declaration included sports and work clothes. <…> One container was “pulled out”, opened, and there were trunks with addresses to Ukraine. They contained uniforms with the symbols of the Ukrainian army,” said Ignatiev ( quoted by TASS), adding that the manufacturer of the military uniforms was not indicated on the items.
According to him, a total of eight containers were detained, which are currently being inspected. “The FSB is already working at full capacity. <…> We will continue to inspect for about another week. There is no criminal case yet,” the head of the Chita customs clarified.
The day before, on February 1, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that Beijing has not changed its attitude towards the war in Ukraine and still takes a neutral position. “We hope that each of the [relevant] parties will make efforts to help de-escalate and create favorable conditions for resolving the crisis through political means,” Wenbin stressed.
In mid-January, Chinese Premier Li Qian refused to meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Before the start of the event, the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Ermak, stated the importance of China joining the negotiations on the “peace formula” proposed by Kyiv.
In September 2023, China imposed restrictions on the supply of long-range drones and some components for them. Because of this, according to The New York Times , the Ukrainian military is faced with a shortage of cheap drones. At the same time, Chinese manufacturers who have not refused supplies require customers to organize a complex network of intermediaries, and the Ukrainian side is forced to smuggle drones, the NYT argued.
According to the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, after the start of the war in Ukraine, China supplied Kiev with only five unmanned aerial vehicles. At the same time, from March to December 2022, Chinese companies did not transfer a single drone to the Ukrainian side.
I’m sure Ukraine don’t need Chinese uniforms, they want something that will last longer than a week.
“…they want something that will last longer than a week.”
Indeed, they would be more appropriate for roaches.
I’m curious what are UFA uniforms (eight containers) going to Russia. A fifth column?? Maybe I’m just a little nuts.
This wouldn’t be the first time the Moscow slime used UA uniforms and the toothless ICC and UN don’t care either.
Indeed, RSM. The use of the enemy’s uniforms for deception had been a controversial issue in the last century, but according to the website of the Red Cross, this has been settled: “During the 1974–1977 diplomatic conference, certain of the great powers wished to retain the possibility of appearing in enemy uniforms, while most of the smaller States claimed that this possibility should be excluded or minimised. The Conference accepted the view of the smaller States here. The rule in Article 39(2) [of Additional Protocol I that the use of enemy uniforms is improper “when engaging in attacks or in order to shield, favour, protect or impede military operations”] can be interpreted to mean that enemy uniform may be used only as personal protection, for example under extreme weather conditions, and may never be used in connection with any type of military operation.”
So, no good reason for Russia to order uniforms with insignia of the AFU.
Wearing the enemy’s uniform can give the opponent the right to put you against a wall.
“They contained uniforms with the symbols of the Ukrainian army”
If true, someone screwed up badly. Why make the true receiver of the uniforms so obvious? This delivery should have been declared as “outdoor fashion” and symbol tags could have been sewed on in Poland.
Such sensitive equipment would by shipped through RuSSia? Seems China is (secretly) tired of Putin, and the platformer wants to accuse China of helping Ukraine to get them back in line.