Ukraine eyes Syrian weaponry in post-Assad reshuffle
The fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime opens new opportunities for Ukraine to acquire advanced weaponry from Syria.
With the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, which occurred at the beginning of December 2024, new opportunities have emerged for Ukraine to acquire advanced weaponry. Among the potentially interesting systems are the Russian Bastion coastal defence missile systems with P-800 Oniks missiles. These could be crucial for developing new methods of defence against missile attacks from Russia.
Syria's equipment could reach Ukraine
Syria also possessed Tochka-U and Elbrus missile systems, along with Iranian Fateh-110 missiles. Although these systems are in varying technical conditions, they could offer valuable insights for the Ukrainian armed forces, especially in countering potential threats. Additionally, air defence systems like the S-300PMU2 and S-125-2M 'Pechora-2M' could significantly strengthen Ukraine's air defence capabilities.
Regarding aviation, Syria had up to 30 MiG-29 fighter jets, some of which were upgraded to the MiG-29SM version and Su-24MK bombers. Although not the latest, these aircraft could be useful additions to Ukraine's arsenal, particularly given the limited access to modern military technology.
However, a key challenge remains to negotiate with the new authorities in Syria and the time Ukraine has to reach agreements before the Israeli air force potentially targets strategic assets in Syria. Given the rapidly changing geopolitical situation, Ukraine must act swiftly to seize this short window of opportunity.
Valuable equipment for Ukrainians
Among all the weapons that analysts from Defense Express suggest could reach Ukraine, the most noteworthy are the Fateh-110 missiles and MiG-29 aircraft.
The first of these, the Fateh-110 missile, has been in use since 2022. A single Fateh-110 missile is nearly 9 metres long, weighing about 3,500 kilograms. The warhead consists of explosives weighing approximately 500 kilograms. The range of this ammunition is about 300 kilometres. On the other hand, the MiG-29 aircraft in Syria's arsenal date back to the 1970s and serve as frontline fighters. They can reach speeds of 2.3 Mach (approximately 2,400 km/h) and operate at altitudes of 17,000 metres, carrying a total payload of up to 5,500 kilograms.
