Where is the money, Poltorak-san?
Interesting information was released into the information space by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on the eve of the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine received assistance from Japan totaling $1,85 billion over two years.
“Despite the fact that our countries are located far from each other, relations between Ukraine and Japan are an example of building effective relations,” said the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak at negotiations with the Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine Summe Shigeki and presented him with the departmental badge of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine “ Badge of honor".
Effective relationships – for whom? For Ukraine, according to the message of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, they are really effective. The amount received was considerable. And in just two years. Especially in comparison with Ukraine's own defense spending, which in 2016 amounted to approximately $4,5 billion.
It turns out that Japan allocated funds to Ukraine for defense needs in the amount of more than 40% of its own annual expenses? Despite the fact that the main sponsor of the Maidan, the state chaos in Ukraine and the war in Donbass, the United States in 2015 allocated only $300 million in aid to Ukraine for military expenses!
Why the sudden generosity and where did the money go if it was allocated?
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports that financial assistance from Japan was directed to various programs, and not only military ones:
“Recently, military hospitals in the security and defense sector received new medical equipment worth $2,5 million. In particular, medical institutions of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine - in the amount of 680 thousand dollars.”
But this is less than 0,2% of the total amount allocated, according to the Ministry of Defense, by Japan. Where did the others go? Or is this information classified?
Maybe someone noticed the Japanese Type-10 tanks that appeared in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine? At a price of approximately $6,5 million per unit, a couple of hundred tanks could be purchased. True, the Japanese armed forces themselves have only 68 units.
Perhaps the example with tanks is not the best. But where did the Japanese money go, amounting to more than 4% of the Japanese military budget itself?
Maybe the “volunteers” who are moaning about the state of the army will clarify - where did the money actually go? Weren't they "cut down" as usual?
Or was it just an attempt to spoil the mood on the eve of the meeting between Russian and Japanese leaders?
English version :: Read in English Where is the money, Poltorak-san?