Spain's SDLE under fire for selling faulty drones to Ukraine
The portal El Independiente revealed that the Spanish company Star Defense Logistics & Engineering (SDLE), which deals with the production of military equipment, sold defective drones to Ukraine.
According to information published on the portal, the transaction was made in June 2023 through the Lithuanian company E-Strategija, which specialises in innovative defence equipment.
Defective drones delivered to Ukraine
The intermediary was supposed to settle the €314,000 for the equipment. Information obtained by El Independiente also indicates that technicians in Poland conducted the drone operation training. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence was supposed to be the end user of the equipment.
During tests, the machines could not even take off. Sources from the Spanish portal reported that SDLE, which advertised itself as a drone manufacturer, actually imported them from China and then sold them at higher prices.
For example, Melkor brand drones, which cost about £11,500, were offered to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence by SDLE for about £82,000. The Lithuanian company is demanding a refund of the £108,000 down payment from the Spaniards.
Drones are very important in Ukraine
At the end of October, Manuel and Aurelio Rio sold their company SDLE for about £8.5-10 million. Earlier in the year, Aurelio was arrested on charges of selling an anti-drone system to a Libyan paramilitary group, which violated existing sanctions. Additionally, as El Independiente reports, in March 2022, the Rio brothers sold nearly 3,000 bulletproof vests to a Belgian company, which ended up in Ukraine, although they had a lower standard than declared.
Drones play an important role in the conflict in Ukraine. They are used on such a large scale that, according to some, they have even become a symbol of this war.
Ukrainians and Russians often use inexpensive and simple FPV (first person view) drones with built-in cameras, to which they attach several kilos of explosives and use these constructions as kamikaze drones. Such drones provide live, real-time footage until the moment they hit the target. However, more expensive constructions are significant as they offer more possibilities and broader functionality regarding reconnaissance and strike actions. This equipment is sometimes commercial gear adapted to the realities of armed conflict and specifically designed for military purposes.
