Hezbollah Supplied With Russian RPGs

In a report today from MOSNEWS.com:

The majority of the Israeli Defense Force's ground-troop casualties, both infantry and armored, were the result of Russian-made anti-tank units of Hezbollah, according to intelligence sources quoted by Haaretz daily.

The same sources note that these units have not retreated from southern Lebanon following the deployment of large Israeli ground forces in the area.

The Hezbollah anti-tank teams use a new and particularly potent version of the Russian-made RPG, the RPG-29 that was sold by Moscow to the Syrians and then transferred to the Shi'ite organization.

Naturally, the Russians are in denial.

At first Israeli inquiries that Russia was transferring modern anti-tank weapons to Syria and on to Hezbollah were received with anger. The Russians demanded proof that this had been done.

Contrary to common practice, Israel transferred to Russia the tail-end of a rocket for analysis. The Russian response was that in the absence of a serial number it was difficult to identify it as part of a load delivered to Syria.

So, the Russians can't identify their equipment without a serial number. What a bunch of hooey!

Notably, in a later report and contrary to the above, Russia flatly denies supplying arms to the Middle East.

Russia has not supplied modern anti-tank armaments to the Middle East, so Hezbollah militants cannot possibly be in possession of them, Deputy President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems Col. Gen. Leonid Ivashov told Interfax-AVN.

Ivashov's assertion is based on the belief that there would be many more casualties if Russian weapons were used. Pretty arrogant, I'd say.

Frankly, I believe that the Russians just haven't had a chance to formulate a consistent story. Even so, one can't help but sense that they're hip deep in culpability.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.