Amnesty International does not know whether the set was actually a Ukrainian weapons to South Sudan, a major focus of investigation is the work of the British company, which allegedly acted as a mediator between the Ukrainian company “Ukrinmash” and the UAE. This told the press Secretary of Amnesty International, Maria Gurieva, transfers “Gromadske radio”.
According to her statement, the international human rights organization considers a violation of Ukraine that Ukrainian weapons would’ve fueled the civil war in southern Sudan, leading to more deaths and human rights violations.
However, Guriev said that Amnesty International has no information about whether it was actually delivered weapons from Ukraine to South Sudan.
“In fact, the study concerns the involvement of one of the British companies supplying weapons to South Sudan. But in the course of the study surfaced the fact that the Ukrainian state company, in particular, “Ukrinmash” signed through intermediaries contracts with companies in the United Arab Emirates and the UK, and these contracts have led to the fact that the leadership of South Sudan was to receive the Ukrainian weapons,” Guriev.
Press Secretary of the human rights organization recalled that attempts were made to impose an embargo on arms supplies to South Sudan in the UN security Council, “but the countries-participants veto it.”
“It is unknown whether there was delivery of weapons (of Ukraine – Ed.) in the Sudan,” acknowledged Gur’eva, noting that one of the requirements of the study was, in particular, termination of supply, if they could take place.
In turn, “Ukrinmash” says that the company never supplied arms to South Sudan. In an official statement, state-owned enterprises also refuted the provision of any logistical support to specified country of South Sudan, “including equipment, maintenance and training”.
“We can confirm that these contracts will in no way have been implemented (№5/61-K dated 22.10.2014 and IGG/Ukrinmash/2014/1399/5/47), and no movement of goods or services has not happened,” – said in a statement.
“Ukrinmash” stressed that Ukraine and all its state companies adhere to all international norms, including the Treaty on arms trade (the Wassenaar agreement – concluded in July and December 1996 in Wassenaar (Netherlands) to 33 countries with the objective of increasing responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and goods and technology “dual use” to prevent their destabilizing accumulation).
“Although the UN security Council did not impose a complete and comprehensive embargo on arms trade with South Sudan, Ukraine and the “Ukrinmash” fully adhere to the declared policy in support of regional and international security and stability,” the statement said state-owned enterprises.
On the unfolding scandal has responded and people’s Deputy of Ukraine, member of the parliamentary Committee on national security and defense Irina Friz on his page on Facebook she called the Amnesty International report “absurd and defamatory in the first place this organization”.
Freese recalled that in 2014, “all exports of arms of Ukraine is transparent.”
“After the accusations against the state in the supply of missile technology to the DPRK and other insinuations, of which “sticking out ears” of the Kremlin, the AI report suggests the next release, which has an external order,” – said the MP.
We will remind, Amnesty International on his page in Facebook said that the report “From London to Juvy, the role of companies registered in the United Kingdom, one of the largest arms deals with South Sudan” (report body) are supposedly “evidence implicating Ukraine in illegal arms shipments to southern Sudan, where it is used for killing of thousands of civilians.”
