Missiles went to Iran & China (C&P)

Cruise missile row rocks Ukraine <br /> <br />Ukraine still has large ex-Soviet weapons stocks <br />Ukrainian arms dealers smuggled 18 nuclear-capable cruise missiles to Iran and China in 1999-2001, Ukraine's prosecutor-general has said. <br />The Soviet-era Kh-55 missiles - also known as X-55s - have a maximum range of 2,500km (1,550 miles). They are launched by long-range bombers. <br /><br />Official Ukrainian state bodies were not involved in the sales, the prosecutor-general's office said. <br /><br />It added that the missiles were not exported with nuclear warheads. <br /><br />Investigation under way <br /><br />The Kiev Court of Appeals is examining the case, and "a few Ukrainian and Russian citizens are suspects," the statement said. <br /><br /> <br />The smuggling happened while Leonid Kuchma was president of Ukraine. His administration was voted out of office in December. <br /><br />The Financial Times reports that the missiles could reach Japan if fired from mainland Asia or Israel if fired from Iran. <br /><br />Ukraine reportedly had 1,612 of the missiles after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. <br /><br />It had agreed to return 575 of them to Russia, and the rest were to be scrapped under a US-funded disarmament programme. <br /><br />The Kh-55, known in the West as the AS-15, is designed to carry a nuclear warhead with a 200-kiloton yield. <br /><br />Ukrainian First Deputy Defence Minister Leonid Polyakov said there were no indications yet that any Ukrainian Defence Ministry officials were involved in selling the missiles. <br /><br />And Ukraine's State Export Control Service said it did not authorise any sales of long-range cruise missiles to Iran or China. <br /><br />The US suspects that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Re: Missiles went to Iran & China (C&P)

and this suprises who? will go well with the 70 some odd F-14 tomcats we sold Iran in the 70's. as well as some of the weapons we sold Iraq in the 80's when we backed saddam in the Iran-Iraq war. its all part of the history books most teachers dont read.

Re: Missiles went to Iran & China (C&P)

The world a dangerous place, made more so by our arming people for profit and to meet short term political gains. It always comes back to bite. Didnt CIA train Bin Laden?

Re: Missiles went to Iran & China (C&P)

One of the Russian mafia's biggest export trades centers it's operation around ilegal weapon sales. Like our own mafia cannot be stopped, thier government has not been able to stop the flow of weapons, any more than we been successful at shutting-off the cocaine and "labor force" import trade here from entering this country any time they choose.<br />Even the "coyotes" receive suspended sentencing in our own courts.<br />I don't think it's possible, but please, by all means, do what you can.

Re: Missiles went to Iran & China (C&P)

These weapons were clandestinely exported to China and Iran by the previously Russian supported Ukrainian regime, not by the US or their western allies.<br />These highly sophisticated long ranged types of weaponary were "supposed" to have been safe guarded in accordance with various agreements, now that we know that this was and is a failed concept, the big question is what else have Iran and China recieved? and did Syria secretly acquired any of such weaponary of sorts?

Re: Missiles went to Iran & China (C&P)

Hmm, mate that up with the missile guidance technology that Clinton gave the Chinese and could have a real headache.