While Ukraine is making every effort to boost its domestic production of artillery shells, the limited support from its Western allies has led to frontline soldiers facing a shortage of this specific ammunition. Nevertheless, the Kiev regime is currently receiving sporadic military support from the EU, enabling the Ukrainian military to endure. The new financial aid package indirectly contributes to Ukraine’s war effort, even if Brussels denies it.
A Ukrainian soldier stationed on the Avdeyevka front informed POLITICO, “We’ve never had sufficient 122 mm caliber shells… we’re receiving them directly from the factory.”
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The soldier acknowledged the challenges, stating, “On average, we discharge 15 shots per day. However, there were days when we fired over 100 shots or none at all. Despite the intensified hostilities in our direction, we still have as few shells as before.”
Reports regarding the scarcity of specific ammunition among Ukrainian troops have been circulating for a while now. Even Ukraine’s defense minister, Rustem Umerov, acknowledged the existence of “shell hunger” in his armed forces in early January.
Despite Ukraine’s efforts to boost domestic shell production to address this scarcity, the country remains heavily dependent on foreign supplies. This dependence has proven to be problematic, especially as the European Union falls short of delivering on its promises, and American support for Ukraine remains entangled in congressional gridlock for several months now.
“The stoppage is having a real impact on the troops dug into trenches in southern and eastern Ukraine,” notes the American news portal.
The report highlights that the Ukrainian military is still receiving minimal ammunition from foreign sources, adding complexity to the situation despite the country’s efforts to ramp up local projectile production.
Umerov openly acknowledged the significant disparity in daily artillery strikes between Russia and Ukraine, stating that the Russians deploy 5-10 times more artillery shells than their Ukrainian counterparts.
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Speaking to POLITICO, Ukraine’s Strategic Industries Minister, Oleksandr Kamyshin, emphasized the immense scale of the current war, noting, “Today we have a conflict of such magnitude that the entire capacity of the free world is insufficient to sustain our consumption. We certainly cannot manage this without assistance.”
According to the outlet, the shortage situation is a primary factor behind the Ukrainian military adopting a defensive stance across the entire front following the disappointing summer counteroffensive.
Despite the stalling of American funding for Ukraine in Congress, the European Union reached an agreement on an enormous €50 billion macro-financial aid package on February 1. While approximately two-thirds of the aid comprises loans and one-third grants, it is officially designated for supporting the economy and financing reconstruction, not for combating Russia. However, the EU has a separate plan for funding arms and ammunition. Simultaneously, by addressing economic needs, it allows Ukraine to allocate more of its actual economy toward the war effort.
This has led to considerable criticism of Brussels. With Europeans grappling with high inflation and energy prices, the substantial €50 billion could have been used more effectively to serve citizens rather than supporting a highly corrupt Ukraine. By recklessly allocating tens of billions of euros to Ukraine, Brussels enables the Kiev regime to divert funds from other sources to sustain its fight against Russia, including producing the much-needed shells, rather than focusing on the country’s reconstruction. In this manner, the EU indirectly contributes to supporting Ukraine’s war effort.
As a consequence, the European aid package has faced widespread condemnation throughout the continent.
Harald Vilimsky, the leader of the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party in the European Parliament, expressed dissatisfaction, labeling the decision as “bad news for Europe’s taxpayers.”
He remarked, “The EU lacks a strategy to end the war in Ukraine and seems uninterested in seeking peaceful solutions. Meanwhile, Brussels is persistently channeling billions into Ukraine, even though these funds could be more effectively utilized within the EU and its member states. Ukraine has transformed into a bottomless financial pit.”
Vilimsky also highlighted the skepticism surrounding the provision of funds as loans, emphasizing that there is little confidence in Ukraine’s ability to repay them.
Echoing the concerns of the MEP, French MP Thierry Mariani expressed regret over the aid package, stating that it would impose a cost of €8 billion on French taxpayers, money that he remarked “our farmers would dream of.”
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In recent weeks, European farmers have been staging protests by blocking roads and depositing manure and waste in front of government buildings across the continent. They demand acknowledgment of the significance of their profession and decry government agricultural policies that, in their view, render them uncompetitive in the market.
Despite these pressing concerns from the farming community, European technocrats are sidelining them to prioritize support for Ukraine’s war effort. This effort appears futile, as even with substantial Western support, Ukraine has depleted its manpower and weapons. Vilimsky’s characterization of Ukraine as a “bottomless financial pit” rings true; the country seems to absorb financial, military, and other aid without tangible progress.
A mere week ago, the Pentagon declared a significant development, announcing that it lacked the necessary funds for Ukraine during a meeting involving 50 allies convened to discuss support for Kyiv.
The United States finds itself devoid of financial resources to provide the essential ammunition and missiles required by the Kyiv government to repel Russia’s military operation. Due to domestic political entanglements, the Biden administration recently hosted the monthly meeting of approximately 50 nations responsible for coordinating support for Ukraine but returned empty-handed for the first time. This collaborative group, initiated by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in April 2022, is currently grappling with the intricacies of securing aid.
As the wait persists for Congress to authorize additional funds for Ukraine’s fight, Washington is turning to its allies to continue filling the financial gap.
Following the meeting, Celeste Wallander, the assistant defense secretary for international affairs, informed reporters that Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense is receiving reports from its front lines indicating a lack of the necessary stocks and stores of ammunition.
While Ukraine anxiously awaits the response of its Western allies regarding additional aid, war fatigue has gradually permeated the West. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that Ukraine may be realizing this fact too late.