Ukraine increases its national arms production to reduce dependence

Given the uncertainty about future deliveries of ammunition and armament by foreign partners, Ukraine seeks to increase its own national production, with notable progress reported in 2023, although dependence is likely to continue.

The $250 million military aid package announced by the United States on Wednesday includes a wide range of ammunition, needed to “help Ukraine counter Russia’s war of aggression.”

However, it is expected to become the last in the near future, unless an agreement is finally reached in the US Parliament to guarantee funding for Ukraine in 2024.

The deliveries of the million artillery shells promised by the EU They are also much slower than expected.

By the end of November, Ukraine had only received 300,000, according to the Foreign Ministry. The EU is unlikely to ship the remainder, around 700,000 projectiles, on time before March 2024.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers have significantly reduced the number of artillery shells they fire each day, according to reports from the front lines. They are forced to ration remaining stocks as they cope with increasing Russian pressure.

Focus on domestic production

The development of domestic production takes on special importance in such conditions, senior Ukrainian officials made clear on Wednesday in a series of statements dedicated to the country’s defense sector.

According to Minister of Strategic Industries Olexandr Kamishin, 300,000 Ukrainians are currently employed in 500 companies in the sector.

Its production tripled in 2023 and is expected to double in 2024, Kamishin revealed, as reported by Ukrinform. Likewise, 200 companies in the sector are involved in the production of drones, which are increasingly important on the battlefield.

According to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyone million drones are expected to be produced “suicidal” short-range in 2024, while the State seeks greater speed in its actions, after a slow start in which it was criticized for showing little initiative in ensuring Ukraine’s advantage in this area.

A financing program of more than US$1 million, launched by the government in 2023, has helped accelerate its production, Kamishin stressed.

Ukraine should also try to reduce its dependence on spare parts supplies from China, although this is not likely to happen anytime soon, Yuri Kovalchuk, a volunteer drone producer in Lviv, had previously stated.

According to Kovalchuk, an important advantage of Ukrainian producers is that they can count on the constant reaction of soldiers to increase the effectiveness of drones.

Progress has also been made in artillery production, with six Bogdana howitzers ready each month, Kamishin revealed.

He noted that Ukraine has been working on creating its own air defense systems, while declining to reveal details about the program. “more important”, that of long-range missiles.

Production of grenades and projectiles

Ukraine has increased its production of mortar shells 42-fold and artillery shells three-fold by 2023, although production of the urgently needed NATO-standard 155mm artillery shells is not expected to begin until 2024.

“Unfortunately, in this caliber we depend on our partners, we depend on the supply of gunpowder of limited availability”Kamishin explained.

Despite progress in some areas in 2023, domestic production could only hope to reduce Ukraine’s dependence on foreign supplies and not eliminate it completely, said Oleksi Melnik, a military expert at the Razumkov Center.

“Rather it could complement (foreign aid) and reduce the currently critical level of dependence on foreign aid,” Melnik stressed, pointing out that no country in the world is capable of producing all weapons completely by itself.

A shortage of highly qualified specialists and insufficient financing will likely continue to hamper domestic production, Kovalchuk warned.

Likewise, he said that, to overcome the difficulties, the State should lead the production of weapons, although more flexible private companies and civilian volunteers should continue to play an important role, Melnik believes.