The Russian-made Kalashnikov still prevails as the main small arm in Ukraine’s military. A Czech weapons giant is setting up shop in Ukraine’s factories to change that. The Prague-domiciled conglomerate, Colt CZ, has set up assembly of its Bren 2 assault rifles inside Ukraine under the name “Sich”
The explosion occurred at 4:20 p.m. local time on Jan. 30, starting a large fire that spread to about 2,000 square meters. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation, Spanish authorities said.
Key developments on Jan. 20: * Commander of scandal-hit Ukrainian brigade detained, accused of failing to report desertions * Ammunition used by Russians halved following Ukrainian strikes, Syrskyi says * Ukraine Air Force specialists safe from transfer to infantry but mobilization issues remain, Syrskyi says * 'I didn't know who I'd be fighting' — North
"For several months now, the artillery ammunition expenditure rates in the Russian army have practically halved. If previously the figure reached up to 40,000 rounds per day, it is now significantly lower," Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi said on Jan. 19.
"(The depot) was used by the enemy to supply its troops in the Kramatorsk sector (in Donetsk Oblast). Now the Russians have logistical difficulties, which significantly affect their ability to conduct combat operations," a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said.
North Korea appears to be preparing to supply more arms to Russia on top of some 20,000 containers it had already sent, the Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 23 based on its analysis of satellite images.
Launched in October 2022, the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM) has already trained approximately 60,000 Ukrainian troops as of August 2024, primarily in Germany and Poland.
"There were thousands of ammunition rounds for armored personnel carriers, tanks, anti-tank guided missiles, mines, grenades, and millions of rounds of ammunition of various calibers," the SBU source said.
Russia's artillery advantage against Ukraine has dropped to 1.5 rounds per Ukrainian shell, down from a previous ratio of five to one, officials told Sky News.
The European Union has delivered 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine, fulfilling the pledge it initially promised to deliver by the spring of 2024, the EU’s new top diplomat Kaja Kallas told the Kyiv Independent on the sidelines of her visit to Kyiv.
Out of 54,000 120 mm mortar shells suspected of having defects, about 24,000 are to be withdrawn, Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin said on Nov. 28.
The statement comes amid mounting complaints and videos shared on social media that show the mortar shells not exploding or failing to hit their targets.
Poland has signed a letter of intent with domestic companies to begin producing nitrocellulose and multi-base powders essential for ammunition manufacturing, according to a Polish government report published on Nov. 18.
South Korea did not provide artillery shells of its own production, nor did it make financial contributions to the purchase of shells from other countries under the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine from third countries.
Throughout 2024, the European Union has delivered 980,000 artillery shells to Ukraine out of the one million initially promised, the European Union's chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, announced on Nov. 11.
Seoul has not received such a request from the Ukrainian side, and the matter is not under consideration, a source in the Presidential Office told the South Korean news agency.
The fire broke out at 1:30 p.m. local time in a hydraulic press used for the three-dimensional molding of steel shell casings.
"Since morning, locals have been sharing the sights of ammunition detonation," Governor Artem Lysohor said, sharing footage recorded by civilians and bystanders on his Telegram channel.
Because North Korea and Russia do not publish official statistics on the country's bilateral trade, there is uncertainty. But even the minimum estimate of shipments is over $1.7 billion, the study reads.
The "Ammunition for Ukraine" campaign has raised almost 4.5 million euros ($4.9 million) for the Czech artillery initiative after the Slovak government refused to participate.
According to the newspaper, around 3 million a year are being shipped from Pyongyang to Moscow, though a large number are believed to be faulty.
Ukraine has received more than one-third of the expected 500,000 rounds of 155-mm shells to be delivered under the Czech initiative by the end of the year, Ukraine's Ambassador to Czechia Vasyl Zvarych said in an interview with CTK news agency published on Oct. 3.
Ukrainian Armor, a private defense enterprise, signed two deals on Oct. 2 with the Czech holding Czechoslovak Group (CSG) to cooperate on the production of 155mm shells, Ukrainian media outlet Militarnyi reported.
The U.S.-based AeroVironment signed an agreement with a Ukrainian company to localize its production of Switchblade 600 loitering munitions, marking the latest of several recent agreements between Ukrainian and foreign companies to produce weaponry in Ukraine.
"In the first half of this year alone, Ukraine produced 25 times more artillery and mortar ammunition than in the entire year of 2022," Zelensky said at the second international defense industry forum in Kyiv.
French-German defense company KNDS has opened an office in Kyiv to support Ukraine carry out the domestic maintenance and repair of weapons systems, the company announced on Oct. 1.
A military aid package that includes ammunition, computers, and logistical supplies will arrive in Ukraine this week, the Lithuanian government announced on Sept. 28. Lithuania has emerged as one of Kyiv's staunchest supporters amid Russia's full-scale war. The Baltic nation has provided Ukraine with helicopters, drones, armored vehicles, and air
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to fire Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, for alleged "election interference" related to Zelensky's visit to a Pennsylvania ammunition plant, Fox News reported on Sept. 25. Johnson alleges that Markarova arranged a taxpayer-funded trip to a
A few issues have been reported with some of the artillery shells received through the Czech initiative, according to German publication Handelsblatt, which cited a letter from Kyiv to Prague. Czechia unveiled the international initiative earlier this year amid Ukraine's shell shortages caused largely by delays in U.S. assistance.
Lithuania has signed a memorandum with American Northrop Grumman Corporation, one of the leading global aerospace and defense technology companies, to produce and supply medium-caliber ammunition, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on Sept. 23.
President Volodymyr Zelensky visited a Pennsylvania ammunition factory under tight security on Sept. 22 to personally thank the workers producing some of the most crucial munitions for Ukraine’s defense against Russian forces.
President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant, a factory producing critically-need 155 mm shells for Ukraine, during his visit to the United States on Sept. 22.
