Germany publish the complete supply list and updates it weekly: 3,000 Panzerfaust rocket launchers, 100,000 hand grenades, 350,000 detonators and so on. Clothing is also taken into account: 240,000 “winter hats”, 116,000 jackets for the cold, 80,000 thermal trousers. In addition, it awaits the approved ones that are still to be delivered, and in fact the 14 Leopard2 tanks agreed two days ago after a long tug-of-war with the United States have already appeared on the list. In order to find out what and how many weapons Berlin is supplying to Kyiv, there is no need to hunt down decrees, because they are published on the Chancellor’s Office website and are available for the whole world to read. But that doesn’t mean that the Red Army flag will be flying on the roof of the Reichstag in Berlin like it did in 1945. The other countries in the alliance are also delivering for Kyiv listsReports, official press releases with the Details of the weapons sent, sometimes it is the minister or the defense minister himself who reads out the weapons inventory in Parliament. Italy, on the other hand, is holding – who knows why – for the sixth time in the election Keep your lists secretthereby preventing public opinion and Parliament from making use of it control, since he is not even allowed to know its content. As of February 24, 2022, this information remains the exclusive prerogative of a small group of Politicianhigh military orders and technocrats. It is no coincidence that among (paying) citizens, and this is also evident from current surveys, who discontent to the “aid” to Kyiv, so vague and generic to admit the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto still talk about “defensive weapons”, even if they mount one 55mm gun.
But we’re almost the only ones who have to endure it. The dilemma of whether or not the list of weapons should be made public was discussed abroad debates and arguments until the pressure exerted on their respective governments led them to progressive “disclosure” of information. It happened in France, Germany and so on. In larger and smaller towns in the Aosta Valley. In Rome, on the other hand, addiction seems to ruleunknowability which is ultimately true secret of this story, a secret in the “state secret” that has dragged on for almost a year: there is no doubt that Berlin, Paris, London and therefore our allies are in the matterexactly the opposite. The (unsolicited) mystery creates not only suspicions, but insurmountable paradoxes. Zelenskyy’s guest performance in Sanremo, for example: For days it has served as a mass distraction weapon, everyone is talking about it without emphasizing that – as one imagines – only those who really know what they are going to say on the stage at the Ariston will go.” Thank you Italy”, different 60 million Italians. But transparency is possible, practicing it does not kill. No Russian missiles rain down on European capitals, no nuclear submarines appear on the shores of the Mediterranean. A tour of the chancelleries of Europe, on the websites of the defense ministries, between the statements of the governments is enough to understand that in this situation we are more unique than alone, alone in the face of the paradox.
Berlin, where shoes count too
there Germany, e.g. In the initial stages of the conflict, the federal government did not disclose any information, but left it to Kyiv after receiving its weapons. In the end, a different orientation prevailed, rewarding transparency without any particular contraindications. Two days ago, Germans could see a Zdf bust walking around the latest gun list Departure to Kyiv. He didn’t have to beg for some deepthroat, blackmail it from a general, or copy it from a site of hacker-activists crazy about weapon systems: he just typed it Official website of the Chancellery in Berlinthe federal government.
It is the official site dedicated to military aid to Ukraine. In addition to the immediate quantification of the consumed resources (2 billion in 2020, 2.2 for 2023) reports a list of “lethal and non-lethal” military aid to Kyiv. The latest update is from yesterday. The update from the previous week is highlighted in bold. Flipping through it, one can read everything that Germany has provided: 30 Part anti-aircraft tanks with 6 thousand ammunition, 22 million pistol ammunition60,000 40mm grenade launchers, 500 Stinger missiles and so on, including 116 thousand jackets80,000 thermal pants and 240,000 winter hats. And for those who need to update readers and citizens, there is a special list of materials that have not yet been delivered, but are ready for the next mailing: and you can read them here 14 Leopard2 tanks A6 was released two days ago after a long tug-of-war with the star-striped co-producers that filled the papers. Scrolling through the list, the same question arises: did this list published on the internet, which anyone can read, have any consequences for Berlin? Did the Victory Angel fall in the Tiergarten? None of that. And then it is not clear why Italy’s analogous list should remain secret, except to agree with Rete Pace Disarmo, who sees the only plausible reason in the convenience calculations of politicians and the armaments lobby.
USA and England: parliaments still sovereign
the United States You know, they’ve spent more than anyone so far: 27 billion dollars in 11 months. And they sent everything: the broadcasts are followed in the reports to Congress and each one, even for propaganda purposes, is highlighted, if at all, in official publications and press conferences. The list will be published and updated on the website Department of Defense. The last (download) is from 10 days ago (January 19, 2023) and gives information about everything: whether they are 50,000 rocket degrees, 700 Switchblade tactical drones or 350 power generators, etc. Relations with Moscow? It hasn’t made them better or worse.
In England Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace not only does not hide the list, but reads it personally to Parliament. He last did so on January 16, 2023, almost regretting the fact that “it has been a month since I last briefed the House on the situation in Ukraine”. And down with the list, which the press can request in an expanded and detailed format: a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks with armored recovery and repair vehicles, drones for 20 million, 100 thousand artillery shells and so on. On January 25, three days ago, the House of Commons published a report (“Military Aid to Ukraine Since the Russian Invasion”) on its website, summarizing figures, official press releases and press reports to understand how much and what is being broadcast Kyiv .
The case of France: from secrecy to disclosure
even there France, where the question was debated for a long time, the secret was soon revealed. The initial reservation was motivated by the Macron government as one strategic choice under two profiles: keep open a Diplomatic Channel with Russia prevent Moscow from knowing “what we are delivering and when we are delivering it to the Ukrainians”, giving Kiev’s enemy a tactical advantage. That orientation has failed as newspapers and observers have disputed Paris’ efforts compared to other countries such as Poland. The Elysium then began disclosing the lists, previously only doing so at the request of the newspapers and now even anticipating via Twitter using official diplomatic accounts. Paris has not suffered any particular threats from Putin for this, nor has the second revolution been unleashed, although the arms issue still ignites and divides public opinion and lends itself to a shifting consensus.
Even the “little ones” say more
the Canada it was never a major supplier of arms, if any, of civil defense instruments. But when it happens, it is the Prime Minister who announces it and everyone can read it on the official website of Department of Defense. The last message is from yesterday: the Secretary of Defense Anita Anand Announces that Canada will deliver four Leopard2 tanks from the inventory of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to Ukraine, as well as a new contingent for training Ukrainian soldiers. Two days earlier, he announced the purchase of 200 Senator armored vehicles (APCs) worth $90 million as a donation to Kyiv from Roshel, a Canadian company based in Mississauga, Ontario. And Moscow has not declared war on Ottawa.
The rich man Luxembourg It’s smaller than Val d’Aosta but more transparent than Italy. Not only is he not afraid to let people know what he is giving to Ukraine, but he publishes it on the Defense Ministry’s social media accounts, even in list form. The last mailing was from December 2nd with a list that was also distributed via Twitter (here), accounting for 75 million euros in military equipment, representing 16% of the total defense budget in 2022: the weapons supplied include 12,500 RPG-7, 600 multiple rocket launchers, 24,000 gas masks, etc.
A question, no answer
He doesn’t know how to repeat it anymore Franz Vignarca, historical representative of the network for disarmament. “You just can’t understand the real reason for the secret. This was understandable in the first few weeks, because one does not know how long the conflict will last, why it made sense to supply Kyiv, but remain silent about it in order to keep diplomatic channels open, or because Moscow could receive military information Advantage. But after 12 months of war, billions of weapons systems shipped, all these motivations are gone and what remains? Just an internal motivation combined with the political need to prevent internal criticism. Criticism from militarists who are demanding more weapons, or criticism from pacifists who are demanding less and want to know what we are sending, fearing that they are contributing to the escalation. The other possible explanation concerns the increase in military spending: if I don’t tell you what I sent, you’re more difficult to challenge than ask for arsenals to be restored. For this is the cessation of decrees. Confidentiality then allows for surreal exits like the assurances about sending “defensive only” weapons, as Secretary Crosetto did when it was obvious that a weapon is defensive or offensive depending on how you use it: Give me those list, and I can confirm that.”