Russia’s defence industry stripping down fridges for parts, says UK envoy

Russia’s military is being forced to strip down fridges and other household appliances for parts as its invasion of Ukraine grinds on, a British representative to the UN has said.

The UK’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, James Kariuki, also told a UN Security Council meeting in New York that the war had set back the modernisation of the Russian military by almost two decades.

“Now Russia’s defence industry strips down fridges for parts. It orders its weapons from the DPRK [North Korea’s official name] in violation of multiple resolutions agreed in this chamber, under this Russian foreign minister’s instruction. Its purchase and use of Iranian drones involves both states violating a Security Council resolution,, said at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Monday.

“Russian military modernisation has been set back 18 years,” the UK envoy said.

Ambassador Kariuki said Russia has suffered more than 300,000 casualties in Ukraine as Kyiv keeps up its stout defence while striking key targets in Russia and Russian-held territory, and “mothers and wives of these soldiers have been arrested or ignored”.

The envoy added that all these military losses have not yielded president Vladimir Putin the desired results in his “illegal and unprovoked” campaign against Ukraine.

“For what? To lose more than half of the land it seized since February 2022 and a fifth of its Black Sea Fleet? To have its economy deprived of over $400bn by sanctions, and hundreds of thousands of young Russians, who have emigrated for a better future?” Mr Kariuki said.

“This war benefits no one, not Russians, and certainly not Ukrainians.”

The UK has been among the most ardent backers of Ukraine since the war began, Earlier this month, prime minister Rishi Sunak said the UK will stand next to Ukraine for as long as it takes.

“Ukraine is not alone, and Ukraine will never be alone. Putin might think that he can outlast us but he is wrong. We stand with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes,” he said after a visit to Kyiv.

Mr Sunak also warned that if Putin wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there”.

“Our opponents around the world believe that we have neither the patience nor resources for long wars. So waver now and we embolden not just Putin, but his allies in North Korea, Iran and elsewhere,” the British PM said.

The UK envoy, Mr Kariuk, also assured the Security Council that the UK will continue to replenish Ukraine’s air defences to help it shield its civilians from missile and drone assault by Russia.

“This is why we have signed a new long term agreement on security cooperation, and announced £2.5bn more in military aid, and £18m more in humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Because Ukraine’s security matters for global security,” Mr Kariuki said.

This comes amid reports of mistreatment of Russia’s mobilised troops, including alleged beatings by Russian military commanders.

Russian opposition outlet Mobilization News said it is “likely Russian military commanders are mistreating troops at a training ground in Volgograd oblast” in southern Russia.

Russian military personnel also said they have to sleep in unheated tents and purchase their own uniforms and equipment and that no one is training them. The personnel reported that they only rehearse formations before the arrival of high-ranking officers, the report added.