A US lawmaker has claimed it is “highly likely” that Hamas launched its recent attack on Israel using US-made weapons supplied by Ukraine.
But even Russian state media reported it with heavy caveats, noting there was “no solid” proof it was true.
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The source of the claims appears to be a short, 12-second video featuring an unidentified man in an unidentified location. The video pans across a handful of guns and grenades while the man says in Arabic: “Thanks to the Ukrainian authorities, we will use this against your enemies.”
The clip was tweeted by US conservative advisor Joey Mannarino – who last month claimed “Russia did nothing wrong” by invading Ukraine – a clip which at the time of writing, has had 6.8 million views.
Kyiv Post has seen no other video or photographic evidence to suggest Ukrainian weapons are being used by members of Hamas.
Russian state media has reported comments made by Kremlin-installed officials in occupied Ukraine that claimed Hamas was using weapons from Kyiv, though they provided no evidence.
Despite the lack of evidence, controversial US lawmaker and notable conspiracy theorist, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, took the unfounded claims and ran with them.
In a post on X, she wrote: “We need to work with Israel to track serial numbers on any US weapons used by Hamas against Israel.”
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“Did they come from Afghanistan? Did they come from Ukraine? Highly likely the answer is both.”
We need to work with Israel to track serial numbers on any U.S. weapons used by Hamas against Israel.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 8, 2023
Did they come from Afghanistan?
Did they come from Ukraine?
Highly likely the answer is both.
Either due to the flimsiness of the evidence or due to mixed blessings of this kind of narrative catching on, even Russian state media channel RT said of Greene’s comments: “Thus far, no solid evidence has emerged to support these claims.”
Moscow has maintained high-level contact with Hamas and Hamas leaders, who visited Russia in May and September of 2022. The Kremlin also maintains close relations with Iran and its partner, Hezbollah, in Lebanon.
At least two Ukrainians were killed in the attacks.
It did repeat unfounded claims that Ukraine has been selling Western-supplied weaponry “on the dark web” despite investigations finding no evidence of this.
Similarly, the Russian state media channel Sputnik reported on Greene’s claims.
Under the headline “Hamas Could Have Used US Weapons from Afghanistan or Ukraine - House Rep,” Sputnik also outlines Green’s claims but added she did so “without providing any evidence to back up her claims.”
It repeated the unfounded claims that Ukraine had sold Western-supplied weapons on the dark web.
On Monday, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) warned that Russia was planning to further fan the flames and had already “handed over to Hamas… trophy weapons manufactured in the USA and EU states.”
It added: “The next step, according to the plan of the Russians, should be fake accusations of the Ukrainian military in the alleged sale of Western weapons to terrorists on a regular basis.”
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