drones and satellite systems – Corriere.it

The password between has changed the partners of the West: from «helping to save them» we have passed to «helping them to win». But it is clear that the conflict in Ukraine was and remains a war of attrition whose outcome cannot be taken for granted. Almost a year after the Russian invasion, “there are still no glimmers for a diplomatic solution” according to Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, who will formalize the sixth decree of support for Kievillustrated yesterday for broad lines at Copasir. The government has decided to send a unit of the Samp-T surface-to-air system equipped with about twenty missiles, together with heavy artillery pieces, movement wagons and generator sets.

But it would also be in the aid package an “out of bag” shipment, not directly attributable to the list drawn up by the executive. Indeed, accredited sources say that Zelensky would be delivered «drones originating from the Israeli project and assembled in Italy», more useful to counter the Iranian-made drones that are used by Moscow. More useful and above all cheaper, given that each missile launched by the Samp-T system costs around one million dollars. In short, Rome does what it can to support Kiev in view of an “exacerbation of the conflict by Moscow – as Crosetto says – with massive attacks from heaven and earth”.

Although the effort is not comparable to the effort of the Americans and the British, there is a reason why it is last minute NATO summit the secretary general of the Atlantic Pact returned to applaud the Italian contribution. The collaboration with Kiev will be less visible but no less important. Apart from the training of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the domestic territory, Rome provides special assistance to the Ukrainian military engaged in the field: their operations against the Russians come drive «remotely” thanks to intelligence information and satellite systems. It is an activity that – underline sources of the services – “has been going on since the time of the Draghi government”. And on the Ukraine dossier, Meloni moves “in full continuity with his predecessor”, as recognized by an authoritative exponent of the opposition. And as Defense Undersecretary Perego reiterates: “Italy will continue to do its part in support of an attacked population.”

Waiting to see if the diplomatic predictions will be confirmed, that is if “we will have to wait for the summer to imagine the opening of a political negotiation”, the military acceleration decided by the West with the sending of tanks is both “a signal in Moscow to anticipate its reorganization on the ground and a visible gesture of support for Ukraine”. “A gesture,” in fact. Because it will be some time before the American and German tanks are actually used by the Ukrainians on the battlefield. The Italian government has followed the complicated negotiations between the allies on sending tanks. Representatives of the foreign ministry report that the stalemate was overcome after «a bitter dispute» between Berlin and Paris.

What struck the men of the Defense was the decision of Washington to announce the sending of the Abrams together with the German Leopards. A delicate choice, because – it is pointed out – if a US tank were hit by the Russians or worse ended up in their hands, “Putin would have a very powerful propaganda weapon” and moreover “could acquire knowledge of the vehicle’s sophisticated technological system”. That is enough to understand what is at stake and what it is the effort of the Western partners. Yesterday Crosetto let it be understood that he has been funded in the Italian arsenal. In Europe, the Epf fund is in the same conditions: the instrument with which the countries that supply arms to Ukraine are compensated will have to be refinanced. In a year the seven billion off-balance sheet made available by Brussels they are almost finished.