Ex-US Marine caught exporting military equipment to Ukraine

In the United States, former Marine Ripley Rawlings is suspected of potentially illegal export of military equipment to Ukraine, according to the New York Times today, March 25.

Now there is a federal investigation of the case, of which he is a defendant. According to the NYT, a certain Ripley’s Heroes organization, founded by Rawlings, purchased night vision devices and thermal imaging optics for almost $ 63,000. Sources say that the equipment was sent to Ukraine without the necessary documentation indicating buyers and recipients.

“Some equipment came under US export restrictions because, in the wrong hands, it could give enemies an advantage on the battlefield,” – the newspaper notes.

The former Marine provided the NYT with documents containing information about the purchase, from which it follows that Ripley’s Heroes did not inform the State Department that she was the buyer.

The organization, judging by the same documents, raised a total of more than $1 million, about $25,000 of which was spent on remote-controlled reconnaissance vehicles.

However, Rawlings complained, the equipment purchased for the Armed Forces of Ukraine did not reach the front: due to legal problems, the “package” was detained by the Polish authorities.

As previously reported EADailyWestern technology, with which Kyiv is going to launch an offensive, will be destroyed by the Russian army, said a retired US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter. He noted that all these Abrams, Challengers, Leopards, Marders, Bradleys and Strykers are burning well.