Turkish Arms Exports to Ukraine Increased 30-Fold Before War

The backdrop of the Ukrainian war has drawn attention to the significant increase in Turkish arms exports to Ukraine during the first quarter of 2022. According to data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Turkey's defense industry exports to Ukraine rose from $1.9 million to $59.1 million in the first three months of 2022, marking an approximately 30-fold increase compared to the same period last year.

Records also indicate that a substantial portion of this export, amounting to $58 million, occurred in February. Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, as reported by tr.euronews.com.

The media highlights that in recent years, Ukraine has purchased over 20 armed Bayraktar TB2 drones from the Turkish company Baykar, with an additional 16 units ordered on January 27, which were delivered in early March. According to TIM data, Turkey's total defense exports increased by 48.6% in the first quarter of this year. In 2021, Turkey exported $3.224 billion worth of defense products, indicating a 41.5% increase compared to 2020.