Ukraine facing shortage of artillery shells amid drop-off in foreign aid
By Abdujalil Abdurasulov and Daniel Thomas BBC News
Ukraine has warned it is being forced to downsize some military operations due to a drop-off in foreign aid, with top general Oleksandr Tarnavskyi saying that troops are facing ammunition shortages along the entire front line, creating a “big problem” for Kyiv.
The country is reliant on western supplies, particularly on deliveries of long-range missiles and air defense systems, to fight occupying Russian forces. Gen Tarnavskyi told Reuters that the country lacked artillery shells, particularly for its Soviet-era weapons, and is already redistributing and re-planning tasks due to the insufficient volumes of artillery shells.
He said that diminishing foreign military aid was already impacting the battlefield and forcing a change in tactics, with some areas moving to defense and others continuing offensive actions. Furthermore, the setbacks in the EU and US have left Ukraine struggling to maintain supplies, with the EU pledging to send one million artillery shells by March 2024, but so far only 480,000 have been delivered or are in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, the US has provided Ukraine with more than two million 155mm shells for use in Western-made artillery systems, but its own stocks have been depleted. The situation has prompted Ukraine to increase its own production of kamikaze drones and artillery rounds for its Soviet-era weapons.
The country is hopeful to boost its defense industry by jointly producing ammunition with Western companies on Ukrainian soil, with plans to achieve technological superiority over Russia. However, concerns remain about Russia’s readiness for a long war and Ukraine’s ability to outlast the West in this battle of attrition.
The situation has signaled to Russia that international support for Ukraine is weakening, and President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his belief that the war will end only when Russia achieves its goals.
Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Ivan Havryliuk expressed confidence that international partners will overcome political differences to provide Ukraine with aid as before, and emphasized the need for clear signals to Russia that Europe is ready for a long war.
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