Did Azerbaijan Supply Ukraine with Shells or Not?

Azerbaijan sold 135 anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine, with deliveries made throughout 2022. This conclusion was reached by analysts from the Rybar Telegram channel, who found a decision from the Kyiv Economic Court confirming the deal in the official portal of "Court Decision Registrations." The document states that UkrSpetsExport signed a contract with the "foreign supplier-production association (Republic of Azerbaijan)" for the supply of 95 units of 23 mm ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft weapons, followed by an additional 40 units. In total, 135 ZU-23-2.

The delivery was carried out through disassembled maritime containers via a "third country," which led to an increase in delivery time. There is another document in the same Court Decision Registry concerning supplies from Azerbaijan to Ukraine. According to this document, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense Industry's "Jihaz" production unit supplied more than 25,000 82 mm mortar shells to Ukraine in 2022-2023.

The court's decision notes, among other points, that "the supply of military goods from the Republic of Azerbaijan to Ukraine is carried out with the 'silent consent' of the political-military leadership of the Republic of Azerbaijan and under strict confidentiality." However, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense Industry denied reports of the supply of mortar shells to Ukraine in 2022 and 2023. The relevant statement was published on the official website of the agency and its social media pages.

"In response to inquiries related to publications in the Armenian segment of the Telegram social network about Azerbaijan allegedly sending military products to Ukraine, we state that these reports are false and misinformation," the Azerbaijani agency said in its statement. The Azerbaijani ministry noted that such reports have appeared in Telegram's Armenian channels before. "Such attempts have already been made. We reiterate that Azerbaijan has not sent any military-related products in the mentioned direction," claims Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense Industry. Recently, some Telegram channels spread rumors that between 2022 and 2023, Azerbaijan sent several batches of approximately 25,000 82 mm mortar shells to Ukraine via the Ministry of Defense Industry.