Thank you very much.
I want to begin by thanking the Standing Committee on National Defence for the opportunity to participate in today's discussion, which we view as very important.
As mentioned, I am a senior researcher with Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based institute that conducts impartial, evidence-based research on all aspects of small arms and light weapons, including illicit proliferation in Ukraine, which is the focus of a study that we recently launched and hope to complete by early next year.
My statement today draws on some of the data we've collected so far, along with the findings from previous research conducted by colleagues and others.
The crisis in Ukraine is an exceedingly important topic, particularly for those of us who track the spread of small arms and light weapons. Since the outbreak of hostilities in 2014, Ukraine has become a hotbed of illicit weapons proliferation. Ukrainian authorities routinely seize arms caches containing dozens of small arms, light weapons, rounds of light weapons ammunition, and hundreds of rounds of small arms ammunition. These weapons range from antique firearms to third-generation portable missiles.
Among the most notable of these weapons are man-portable air defence systems, or MANPADS, dozens of which have been seized by Ukrainian authorities and spotted in the hands of pro-Russian militants in recent years. The vast majority of these missiles are second- and third-generation systems, which is unusual. In most countries, the majority of illicit MANPADS are aging first-generation missiles that are significantly less capable than their more modern counterparts.
In Ukraine, this ratio is turned on its head. The vast majority of illicit MANPADS appear to be second- and third-generation systems, with first-generation missiles comprising just a small percentage of illicit stocks. Given the vulnerability of commercial airliners to a MANPADS attack, and the ease with which missiles can be smuggled across borders and to attack sites, the loose missiles in Ukraine are worrisome, to say the least.
However, MANPADS are not the only illicit weapons of concern in Ukraine. Authorities have seized large quantities of, among other weapons, anti-personnel landmines, anti-tank guided missiles, shoulder-fired rockets, and hand grenades, the latter of which are now ubiquitous in Ukraine. In 2016, authorities seized 2,698 grenades, a 23-fold increase over 2013. These seizures are occurring throughout Ukraine, not just in the east.
These weapons play an important role in the conflict, but the threat that they pose is not limited to conflict zones. Hand grenades, for example, have been used in attacks on, among other targets, private homes, diplomatic compounds, government buildings, peaceful protests, parades, and even restaurants, in different parts of the country. Accidental explosions of illicit grenades and other light weapons have claimed additional lives, including those of children.
On July 4, 2016, three children in the Donetsk region were killed by a grenade they found the day before and brought home with them. This danger is not limited to eastern Ukraine. In May of this year, children playing in a playground in Kiev found a fused F1 hand grenade in a sandbox.
Illicit weapons in Ukraine are also a concern for authorities in other countries, including, but not limited to, neighbouring states. In 2016, a former UK customs official warned that loose weapons in Ukraine “will undoubtedly be trafficked into Europe”. These fears are underscored by recent reports of thwarted attempts to traffic firearms, ammunition, and other weapons to European countries, including an alleged scheme to smuggle RPG launchers, explosives, firearms, and other weapons into France. Security officials have also interdicted transcontinental arms shipments.
In January 2017, officials at Kiev International Airport discovered 17 boxes of undeclared goods in an aircraft bound for the Middle East. Three of the boxes contained launchers for portable anti-tank missile systems.
While our understanding of cross-border arms smuggling is incomplete, existing evidence suggests that such trafficking is currently relatively limited. That could change quickly, if and when the conflict in the east is resolved and demand for military small arms and light weapons decreases. We will continue to monitor illicit arms flows within, into, and from Ukraine, and we will flag any notable developments, including significant increases in cross-border arms trafficking or changes in the composition of illicit weapons in Ukraine.
Thank you.