Cyprus rules out transfer of Russian-made weapons to Ukraine

NICOSIA, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus cannot accept the United States' suggestion to send its Russian-made weapons to Ukraine as this would create gaps in its deterrence capabilities, Defense Minister Charalambos Petrides said here on Tuesday.

Petrides was responding to press reports that unnamed U.S. officials had sounded out the Cypriot government whether it would be willing to transfer to Ukraine all or part of the Russian-made armaments it possesses.

He said that legal problems could also arise because of a stipulation that military systems purchased from Russia may not be sold to third parties.

Cyprus is currently preoccupied with problems relating to the maintenance of its Russian-made weapons following the sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) on Russia, Petrides said.

Cyprus currently uses two types of Russian-made anti-aircraft systems, which were obtained after the United States imposed an arms embargo on Cyprus in 1974.