Buk missiles bought, not handed by Ukraine – ruling party MP

Buk missiles were bought from Ukraine in 2008 not handed by Kyiv during the Russia-Georgia 2008 war, Rati Ionatamishvili, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Monday responded to recent comments by Ukrainian diplomat Andriy Kasyanov. 

In his article for the Ukrainian media, the charge d’affaires of Ukraine to Georgia said his government had requested the return of Buk missiles from Georgia it had “handed” the country in 2008, as well as the US anti-tank Javelin systems. 

“Our stated position is that Georgia will not provide armed assistance to Ukraine in this war waged by Russia. Such a move will be a direct threat of opening a second front that will be disastrous for our country,” the MP said, adding that Georgia “is one of the leading countries in terms of the amount of humanitarian aid it has provided to Ukraine.