August 14,
2008: The Czech Republic has been the
major supplier of heavy weapons to Georgia during the last five years. This
included 175 tanks (31 percent of them T-72s, the rest T-55s), 24
self-propelled 152mm howitzers, 36 122mm
towed D30 howitzers and six 122mm rocket launchers. Large quantities of
ammunition were also sent, as well as some Su25 ground attack aircraft. All
this stuff is Cold War surplus, and went cheap. Total Czech arms sales to
Georgia last year were about $20 million. Many East European nations were eager
to sell Georgia weapons, knowing that they might well be used against Russian
troops.
