Ukraine seeks more arms from Pakistan

Ukraine has sought additional defence equipment and ammunition from Pakistan, with Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov dialling his Pakistani counterpart.

"Spoke today (Nov 6) with #Pakistan's Minister for Defence & Defence Production Lieutenant General (Retd) Anwar Ali Hyder. I'm grateful for Pakistan's contribution to Ukraine's capabilities. It was a pleasure to discuss areas of mutual interest as we maintain our bilateral relationship," the Ukrainian defence minister wrote on X.

This is the first such conversation between the defence ministers of the two countries in recent months and Kyiv may have indicated a list of arms that it would require, ET has learnt. Ukraine and Pakistan have a long history of defence partnership dating back to the early 1990s.


ET had reported extensively how Pakistan has emerged as a frontline state in supplying defence items to Ukraine following a "deal" between Islamabad and the West with promise of financial support to boost the sagging economy of Pakistan in lieu of arms supply.

Pakistan has been at the forefront of arms, ammunition and artillery supplies to Ukraine since August 2022 at the behest of the West and via third countries including Poland and Germany. The UK's ministry of defence had entered into a deal with the Pakistan Ordnance Board to supply arms to Ukraine.

ET had reported in June that an arms consignment from Pakistan Ordnance Factories via a US flagged ship was being shipped to Ukraine through Jordan and Poland. This included air defence vehicles, multiple barrel rocket launchers, recovery vehicles, cartridges and spare parts.

Pakistan defence trading firm Kestral Trading established a firm in Warsaw allegedly under the name ‘Balferrten Investments’ to smoothensupplies to Ukraine. Kestral Trading has allegedly entered into a partnership with a Chinese defence firm, Beijing Heweiyongtai Science & Tech Co Ltd, to procure UAVs for supplies to Kiev, ET had reported in May.

Kiev has launched the process to supply Mi-17 helicopter engines and auxiliary spare parts to the Pakistan military in lieu of Islamabad’s regular supply of defence equipment to the Ukrainian army. Last year, the UK used Pakistan as an air bridge to supply arms to Ukraine via Romania.