Afrasianet - Since the start of Russia's war , nearly half a million weapons have evaporated in Ukraine, which is redoubling its efforts to combat corruption and criminal networks, at  a time when the European Union has provided it with a €90 billion loan , Le Parisian said.

In a report by Anissa Hammadi, the newspaper addressed the issue of the disappearance of part of the Western weapons sent to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian war, where the Swiss organization "Global Initiative to Combat Transnational Organized Crime" estimates that hundreds of thousands of weapons have been lost or stolen over the past years.

Although most of the military equipment is actually used on the frontlines, the poor tracking of some shipments, especially light weapons, is raising growing concerns among Western partners, especially in light of the massive financial and military support provided by the European Union and the United States to Kyiv.

Some experts point out that this phenomenon is not new in war contexts, where soldiers or field commanders often transfer and sell part of weapons under the pretext of losing them, and take advantage of operational chaos on the front lines.

Despite the establishment of advanced surveillance and tracking systems since 2022, and the imposition of strict mechanisms on heavy and expensive equipment, small arms remain the weakest link in the surveillance system and are most vulnerable to exploitation by criminal networks.

An international report has warned that the war in Ukraine-related arms trafficking could become a long-term problem, with more organized and extensive smuggling networks developing compared to previous experiences in places such as the Balkans or Afghanistan. 

Ukrainian authorities are seeking to reassure their allies by stepping  up allegations  of anti-corruption and arms smuggling efforts by dismantling criminal networks and tightening border controls.

Observers agree that the greatest danger does not lie at the moment, but may emerge more broadly in the post-war phase, when controlling the flow of weapons becomes more complex.

Ukraine hides death toll but its full graves reveal the truth

On the other hand, the British newspaper The Times said in a report that Ukraine considers the death toll in its war against Russia a secret that cannot be disclosed, but the increasing graves expose the truth.

The "Mars Field" cemetery in the city of Lviv, which was established shortly after the start of the war with Russia in February 2022, is full after three years of fighting, with Ukrainian soldiers now being buried in new locations, including a former Soviet memorial site known as the "Hill of Glory."

A symbol of grief and loss

The report added that the Lviv military cemetery embodies the growing number of victims, where more than a thousand soldiers are buried, and this cemetery reflects the enormity of the human toll in the conflict, as these cemeteries are no longer just burial sites, but have become a symbol of grief and loss, as families visit them regularly to commemorate their loved ones lost in the war.

Despite the secrecy about the death toll, the report explains that independent estimates suggest that the number of Ukrainians killed could range from 60,000 to 100,000.

The Lviv city administration is working to turn the "Mars Field" into a permanent memorial to the fallen soldiers, including a giant monument bearing the symbol of Ukraine.

To illustrate the magnitude of the death toll, history says that the city of Lviv, with its rich history and architecture that combines the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Baroque, has not seen the same devastation as Ukraine's frontline cities, yet it has paid a heavy human price as it has been one of the largest providers of troops since the war began.

It soon filled with dead

The report added that the "Mars field", which opened as a military cemetery in  April 2022, was quickly filled with dead soldiers who died in battle.

The report concludes that the casualties remain secret, but the truth emerges in overcrowded cemeteries and memorial initiatives.