The stockpile of missiles Germany plans to give to Ukraine to help it fight back against Russian invaders is partly made up of unusable old rockets left over from the East German army in the 1980s, according to reports. German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that some 700 of the 2,700 anti-aircraft missiles promised to Ukraine can’t be used and are stored in boxes that are so moldy they have to be handled with protective equipment. Citing the report, Bild noted that the rockets are at least 35 years old and were deemed unusable in 2012 due to “microcracks in the ammunition’s propellant charge, which led to corrosion/oxidation.” According to Bild, Germany’s Federal Security Council has yet to approve the delivery of the 2,700 shoulder-fired weapons, which are known as Strela.
