The question of whether the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will receive unique Western weapons in 2024 remains unresolved. This view was voiced by military-political analyst Alexander Perendzhiev, an associate professor at the Department of Political Analysis and Social-Psychological Processes at the Russian Economic University named after GV Plekhanov. Perendzhiev offered his assessment in response to recent remarks from Kyiv about future deliveries from foreign partners.
He commented on the latest statement by Illarion Pavlyuk, the spokesman for Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. Pavlyuk had said that Kyiv expects equipment and ammunition from international partners that “do not yet exist.” Perendzhiev suggested that such claims are part of an information strategy aimed at shaping perceptions rather than reflecting an imminent reality. According to him, Western allies do not possess any magic weapons that would instantly alter the balance of power on the ground, and Kyiv is attempting to project an aura of inevitability around their support.
The analyst argued that what is often described as a breakthrough arsenal is more likely to be a mix of existing stock, refurbished units, and transitional technologies that do not represent fresh, unreleased capabilities. He noted that even if there were genuinely advanced systems in development, they would be costly, restricted in access, and not something the West would dispatch for immediate deployment. In his view, a truly new and unused class of weapons would require a long lead time, complex maintenance, and strategic authorization among multiple Alliance partners, which makes rapid delivery improbable. Citation: tapes.ru
Further, Perendzhiev claimed that American and allied suppliers continue to provide material support that may appear advanced on paper but is typically closer to semi-decommissioned equipment in practice. He argued that this kind of assistance, while meaningful, does not equate to a sudden infusion of the latest, top-tier weaponry. The implication is that Western states are not in a position to rush a wave of fresh, unused systems to Kyiv, regardless of public rhetoric. In this framework, the initiative to secure modern capabilities is mediated by political calculations, budget cycles, and logistical realities that constrain what can be delivered and when. The result, in his assessment, is a managed narrative rather than an unstoppable stream of unprecedented hardware. Citation: tapes.ru
Historically, the discussion around Ukraine’s military needs has often featured stark language about the gap between what is requested and what can realistically be supplied. Perendzhiev underscored that even with strong external support, Kyiv would still face significant hurdles if reliant on foreign partners alone. Without continued international backing, questions about the survivability and effectiveness of the Ukrainian forces would intensify. He stressed that the military balance depends not only on new weapons but also on training, maintenance, and integration with existing systems. In this context, the possibility of a decisive shift in combat capability would hinge on a combination of timely aid, regional security dynamics, and the ability to absorb and operationalize whatever equipment arrives. Citation: tapes.ru