The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally requested clarifications from the United States and Turkey over reported plans to deliver heavy offensive weaponry to Ukraine.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that documents published by the US Congress indicate an extensive arsenal of military equipment is slated for shipment to Ukrainian forces.
Zakharova said the items listed in the Congressional records include 12 multiple launch rocket system launchers and more than 2,500 unguided cluster munitions for the platforms. She added that the package also specifies 47,000 cluster artillery shells of 203mm caliber and 70 Army Tactical Missile System operational tactical ballistic missiles.
The Army Tactical Missile System, commonly known as ATACMS, is a long-range guided missile produced in the United States that can be fired from mobile rocket systems such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System. The 203mm artillery rounds are heavy-caliber munitions used in specialized long-range Soviet-designed or Western heavy artillery pieces. Moscow's Foreign Ministry, located in the Russian capital, handles the country's diplomatic outreach and foreign relations.
US congressional documents and export route
The inquiry follows disclosures from US Congressional files showing that the State Department approved the transfer of ATACMS ballistic missiles and MLRS rocket launchers to Ukraine through Turkey.
Zakharova emphasized that it remains unclear who initiated the proposed re-export or how the substantial lethal cargo would be transported to its destination.
She noted that the circumstances and conditions surrounding such a large-scale transfer of military hardware remain extremely contradictory.
The spokeswoman warned that any such weapons deliveries would inflict inevitable damage on Moscow's diplomatic relations with both Washington and Ankara.
Reactions from Ankara and potential diplomatic impact
The Turkish government previously stated that Ankara was unaware of any plans by the United States to transfer military equipment to Ukraine using Turkish territory as a transit point.
Responding to inquiries regarding Moscow's request, the administration of the Turkish president told RIA Novosti that it had no information about any formal diplomatic request from Russia.
Officials in Ankara stated that they possessed no information on the matter and declined to provide further comment on the official stance of the Turkish authorities.
Turkey, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with direct maritime borders on the Black Sea, has maintained diplomatic and economic ties with both Kyiv and Moscow throughout the regional conflict. RIA Novosti is a state-owned Russian news agency headquartered in Moscow.
Assessments from military experts
Former Turkish military attaché Ihsan Sefa assessed that actual arms shipments from Turkey to Ukraine would severely impact bilateral ties between Moscow and Ankara while damaging mutual trust.
Sefa said that if the allegations regarding the arms transfers were confirmed, the move would inflict immense damage on relations between Turkey and Russia and undermine confidence in Ankara.
He added that the fallout would extend beyond military and political cooperation, affecting the broader scope of bilateral relations between the two nations.
The former defense official stressed that mutual trust remains one of the primary foundational factors governing diplomatic interactions between Russia and Turkey.
