Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Western weapons intended for Ukraine have been sent to the Taliban.
If Putin’s claims are true, then the US is not only funding wars with taxpayers’ money, but also funding terrorism to facilitate an endless war.
Jürgen Stock, the head of Interpol, warned in 2022 that a portion of the steady stream of guns and heavy arms meant for Ukraine had made their way onto the black market.
However, Ukrainian officials say they monitor weapons sent from Western allies.
Putin alleged that Western weapons sent to Kyiv’s military have already been sold because “everything is for sale” in Ukraine.
“Now they say: Weapons are getting into the Middle East from Ukraine,” Putin said.
“Well, of course they are, because they are being sold.”
“And they are being sold to the Taliban, and from there, they go onto wherever.”
As Newsweek reported:
TASS, a Russian state-controlled media outlet, also reported on Putin’s claim about Western weapons being bought by the Taliban.
Putin reportedly went on at length about Ukraine and his accusations of corruption there.
“In Russia, we have plenty of problems,” Putin said, according to TASS.
“We, in Russia, and in the entire world, are fighting corruption, but corruption in Ukraine has taken on a life of its own—there is nothing like it in the world, you can take it from me.”
The Russian president—who has been accused of rigging national elections and keeping tight control over what is reported by his country’s media—then claimed former Ukrainian leaders used to quote prices to him for the cost of getting things done.
“Believe me, I had close contacts with [Ukraine’s] former leaders—they buy everything: The vote in the Supreme Court, the vote in the Constitutional Court. Buy!” he said, per TASS.
Putin reportedly added:
“This coming from the highest officials! I was taken aback! I said: ‘This is how you do things here?’ [And the answer was]: ‘Well, yes, this is the way it is here.'”
While admitting that there is a level of corruption in Russia, Putin described the situation as worse in Ukraine.
“The scope is different: There [in Ukraine], corruption is actually legal,” he said.
In September, Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged $1 billion more for Ukraine, including $300 Million for the country’s law enforcement, saying the United States is “determined to continue to walk side-by-side” in its ongoing war with Russia.
“We are determined in the United States to continue to walk side-by-side with you,” Blinken told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“President Biden asked me to come, to reaffirm strongly our support, to ensure that we are maximizing the efforts that we’re making and other countries are making for the immediate challenge of the counteroffensive as well as the longer-term efforts to help Ukraine build a force for the future that can deter and defend against any future aggression, but also to work with you and support you as you engage in the critical work of strengthening your democracy, rebuilding your economy,” Blinden said.
READ: “Ukraine is Finished”: Putin Claims Ukraine Lost 90,000 People Since June
