The Ukrainian president recently announced that he had saved "9 grams [of lead]" for anyone who invades his country. It seems, though, that country's army is not doing so well on the smokescreens necessary for military operations and the usage of those very "9 grams" on enemies. The military prosecutor's office for Southern Ukraine reported that instead of buying the DS-56 smokescreen, the procurement department of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry had spent $2.7 million from 2015-2017 on a smoke mixture that isn't viable.
READ MORE: Most Ukrainians View Situation in Country as Critical, Want Changes — Poll
It disperses way faster than necessary (a smokescreen must persist for roughly 30 minutes), which makes it useless for the military. The mixture is only good for airsoft matches or special effects in films. According to the prosecutor's office, no tests of the mixture were performed prior to signing the contract. An investigation was initiated in order to find those responsible, but for the time being the Ukrainian army remains "screenless."
READ MORE: Germany Skeptical About US Plans to Provide Ukraine With Lethal Arms
The US State Department approved the sale of $47 million-worth of man-portable anti-tank "Javelin" systems to Ukraine. The US officials stress that Javelin — is defensive weaponry and cannot be used in offensive situations. Moscow had warned Washington against the move, noting that it could gravely escalate the situation in the eastern Ukraine
