According to security expert Christian Mölling, the collision of a Russian jet with a US drone over the Black Sea could have been a deliberate provocation. Mölling said on Friday in the stern podcast “Ukraine – the situation”: “The ultimate question is whether the Russian side can get their pilots under control or was it a targeted provocation from the Russian side to test the Americans a little further and increase uncertainty sow.”
The research director of the German Society for Foreign Relations pointed out that Russian pilots have already broken the security rules in many cases. “We have to assume that this is a systematic provocation,” he said. Uncertainty remains as to how Russia will behave in the future.
Mölling made it clear that the delivery of MiG fighter jets from Poland to Ukraine had not been closely coordinated with the allies. He assumes that at least the Americans were informed about Poland’s announcement. However, the alliance does not necessarily act together on the issue of arms deliveries. In previous debates, sometimes France pushed ahead, sometimes Great Britain. “To a certain extent, the impression of a coordinated approach by NATO is perhaps wrong,” said Mölling.
Mölling criticized the fact that ammunition deliveries to Ukraine fell short of expectations. According to his understanding, the necessary production capacities are basically available. It is important to actually place orders with the industry. In addition, you have to talk to the producers about delivery priorities and about expanding production to other locations. But too little is happening and too late.
It’s obviously not working,” said the expert. He recommended not discussing the procedure in a large group, but rather enabling Ukraine to buy it itself. “It’s best to let the Ukrainians decide what ammunition they want and just give them a check,” he said.
