The European Union

agreed to an initiative to accelerate the transfer of ammunition to Ukraine, as well as to replenish its own warehouses with shells.

The plan envisages providing Ukraine with 1 million shells by the end of the year.

This number is quite significant.

Oleksandr Musienko, the head of the Center for Military and Legal Research, expressed this opinion on the air of the "We - Ukraine" channel during the telethon.

According to him, EU countries are currently making tremendous efforts.

After all, the shells from the reserves are running out, and they must be produced.

Musienko emphasizes that the reserves of the Europeans were not as calculated as the reserves of Russia. 

"Manufacturers call on the EU countries to enter into guarantees with them that for 2-3 years they will buy and take away the projectiles that they will put into production. And they refuse to start production only during wartime. It is very pragmatic. Now the EU has finally reached to give these guarantees for 2-3 years. This is a reason for all factories to finally increase production. Because the figure of one million by the end of the year is quite significant. Even if we get a million with current needs, it is quite good in the existing conditions," says expert.

He reminded that about two weeks ago, a conference was held in Stockholm, where the ministers of defense of the EU countries were present.

Even then, it was about 90,000-100,000 shells per month, emphasizes the head of the Center for Military Legal Research

"We wanted 250,000, but the Europeans started talking about it, their basis is to move away from 100,000. I understand very well that our needs are huge because intense hostilities continue, our enemy is powerful. Russia has concentrated quite a lot of ammunition since World War II and beyond. They are already removing and deconserving some WWII equipment. How can this be done? There are two ways: provide multi-role aircraft in certain numbers; provide long-range artillery systems and missiles. We need to destroy this capability and maintain offensive actions." , - says Oleksandr Musienko.

Ammunition for Ukraine

The other day, the ministers of defense and foreign affairs of the EU agreed on a plan for the joint purchase of ammunition.

It envisages

providing Ukraine with 1 million shells over the next 12 months.

Thus, 18 countries have joined the project of the European Defense Agency to collect and place orders in industry.

However,

Hungary refused to participate in the joint procurement of ammunition

.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó said that Budapest, as before, does not want to supply weapons to Ukraine and will not participate in this action.

By the way, the Financial Times, citing its sources, wrote that 

there is talk of a shortage of explosives in Europe

.

This is what limits the ability of gunsmiths to produce ammunition for Ukraine in the next three years.

Representatives of the defense industry emphasize that it is impossible to increase the production of nitrocellulose in a short period of time.

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