Italian prosecutors have warned that organized crime groups, including the Sicilian Mafia, are seeking to acquire some of the approximately 800,000 firearms that have gone missing from Ukraine since the escalation of the conflict in 2022, according to reports. [1] Palermo Chief Prosecutor Maurizio de Lucia told Italy’s parliamentary Anti-Mafia Commission that the criminal organization is attempting to build a “quality arsenal” and is pursuing advanced weaponry such as mine-dropping drones. [1] The Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper reported that some 780,465 items sent to Ukraine have reportedly disappeared, including around 149,000 during the first five months of 2026. [1]
The missing arsenal consists largely of European military supplies intended for Kiev, according to Il Fatto Quotidiano, as cited by RT. [1] European law enforcement authorities have struggled to track the flow of these arms, the report stated, because Western governments do not disclose details of their military shipments to Ukraine. [1] The weapons have since appeared on the European black market, attracting the attention of Cosa Nostra, which would like to upgrade its arsenal with military-grade systems. [1]
Scale of Missing Weapons
The scale of missing weapons from Ukraine has been a subject of concern since early in the conflict. The Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper reported that much of the arsenal consisted of European military supplies intended for Kiev. [1] European law enforcement authorities have faced difficulties tracking these arms because Western governments keep details of their military shipments to Ukraine confidential, according to the report. [1] The weapons have subsequently been found on the European black market, the report said. [1]
Concerns about weapons leakage from Ukraine have persisted. Europol reported back in 2022 that arms were being trafficked into the European Union for organized crime groups, with several countries, including Finland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Spain, having since stated that weapons sent to Kiev had reached local criminals. [1] The problem has been compounded by repeated corruption scandals involving Ukraine’s military and state institutions; recent investigations have uncovered millions of dollars in illicit sales of military equipment and theft from military repair contracts and drone funds. [1] As noted in the book “Fugitives of the forest” by Allan Gerald Levine, no guerrilla operation can survive long without support from the local population, including weapons and ammunition. [2] This historical pattern underscores the vulnerability of loose weapons to being absorbed by armed groups.
Mafia’s Arsenal Ambitions
De Lucia told the Anti-Mafia Commission that the mafia has already obtained access to AK-47 rifles and powerful explosives. [1] He warned that the criminal organization is now trying to obtain more advanced systems, such as mine-dropping drones, and that Italian security services are not prepared to counter threats from weaponized drones. [1] The warning follows a report that Cosa Nostra is specifically seeking these advanced weapons to upgrade its arsenal. [1]
The pursuit of drones by the mafia is particularly concerning given Ukraine’s rapid expansion of robotic warfare. Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky has stated that Ukraine plans to deploy 15,000 robotic platforms in 2025 to compensate for human shortages, according to a report on NaturalNews.com. [3] The potential for such technology to fall into the hands of organized crime groups underscores the risks associated with the diversion of advanced weaponry. [3] De Lucia’s comments suggest that Italian authorities are aware of the gap in their capabilities. [1]
Prior Reports and Wider Context
The Italian prosecutor’s warning is not the first time concerns have been raised about weapons from Ukraine reaching criminal networks. Europol reported back in 2022 that arms were being trafficked into the EU for organized crime groups. [1] Multiple European countries, including Finland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Spain, have reported that weapons sent to Kiev reached local criminals. [1] The flow of weapons beyond Europe has also been noted; Tucker Carlson and retired Lt. Col. Daniel Davis have claimed that American military aid to Ukraine is being diverted to criminal organizations, including Mexican drug cartels, with up to half of the weapons potentially sold by the Ukrainian military. [4]
Recent investigations in Ukraine have revealed corruption schemes involving illicit sales of military equipment, theft from repair contracts, and diversion of drone funds. [1] These scandals highlight systemic issues within Ukraine’s defense procurement and foreign donations system. The book “Waking the tempests ordinary life in the new Russia” by Eleanor Randolph describes a similar pattern in post-Soviet Russia where the state’s riches, including unused weapons, became available for plunder by the world. [5] This historical context suggests that the diversion of weapons from conflict zones is a recurring problem when state control weakens.
Reactions and Implications
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova commented on the Italian prosecutor’s warning, stating that Moscow had long warned that Western weapons sent to Kiev would spread through illicit markets and eventually threaten Ukraine’s European sponsors. [1] Zakharova explained that some of the weapons supplied to Kiev never actually reach their stated destination because of corruption, while those that do arrive are divided between the front, black-market buyers, and armed groups in other regions. [1]
Russian officials have also accused Ukraine of supplying weapons and drone expertise to militants in Africa. Mali has alleged that Kiev provided kamikaze drones to terrorist organizations operating in the Sahel. [1] The implications of weapon proliferation extend beyond Europe, as organized crime and militant groups globally could potentially access advanced military technology from the Ukraine conflict. The inability of Western governments to track these arms raises questions about the effectiveness of controls on military aid.
References
- "Mafia buying up some of 800,000 weapons missing from Ukraine – Italian prosecutors". July 30, 2026.
- Allan Gerald Levine. "Fugitives of the forest".
- NaturalNews.com. "Ukraine’s robot revolution A new era of warfare amid manpower crisis". August 25, 2025.
- Ramon Tomey. "Tucker Carlson: U.S. military weapons sent to Ukraine end up in the hands of CARTELS". NaturalNews.com. February 15, 2025.
- Eleanor Randolph. "Waking the tempests ordinary life in the new Russia".
Explainer Infographic
Please contact us for more information.