by Michael Starr
Russia likely has an artillery ammunition shortage and is rationing and using old shells according to UK intelligence.
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Ukrainian army from the 43rd Heavy Artillery
Brigade fire the German howitzer Panzerhaubitze 2000, called Tina by the
unit, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Bahmut, in Donetsk region,
Ukraine, February 5, 2023.
(photo credit: MARKO DJURICA/REUTERS)
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One of Russia's major state defense companies must double the volume of production of high-precision weapons, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered during a tour of Tactical Missiles Corporation's facilities in Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
Shoigu issued the instruction despite claiming that the company was "adequately" fulfilling the federation's already increased production requests.
“The corporation faces a very serious task," Shoigu said according to the Russian Defense Ministry. "For its implementation, the enterprise has the necessary resources: Highly qualified specialists and production facilities. Therefore, the task is tough but doable.”
The industry will also shift some models of weapons from experimental status to mass production.
Ukrainian Intelligence has claimed that Russia had been stockpiling missiles for months to be able to launch a major strike on March 9.
A Ukrainian serviceman of the 80th Air Assault Brigade carries a shell
to load into an M119 Howitzer artillery weapon to be fired towards
Russian troops, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Bahmut, Donetsk
region, Ukraine, February 16, 2023. (credit: MARKO DJURICA/REUTERS)Ukrainian intelligence directorate representative Andriy Yusov said on Friday that Russia has been suffering a shortage of missiles, and intervals between strikes on Ukraine had been adjusted to make up for gaps in ammunition production capabilities.
"They have 7% of the 'Kalibr' [naval cruise missiles] left from the number that was at the beginning of the full-scale aggression. They can't make up those costs even through production."
Andriy Yusov
"They have 7% of the 'Kalibr' [naval cruise missiles] left from the number that was at the beginning of the full-scale aggression. They can't make up those costs even through production," said Yusov.
The order to increase precision weapon production comes also as Russian forces in Ukraine have likely been experiencing worsening artillery ammunition shortages in recent weeks, leading to the rationing of munitions and use of old shells, the UK Defense Ministry assessed in a Tuesday morning intelligence update.
The UK Defense Ministry said that the rationing of shells is in force on many parts of the front and is “extremely punitive.”
“Russia has almost certainly already resorted to issuing old munitions stock, which were previously categorized as unfit for use,” claimed the ministry.
Russia struggles to tackle munition production shortage
A March 3 Russian presidential decree reportedly created measures for the Ministry of Trade and Industry to bypass managers who failed to meet munition production quotas.
“Russia is increasingly applying the principles of a command economy to its military-industrial complex because it recognizes that its defense manufacturing capacity is a key vulnerability,” said the UK Defense Ministry.
The UK Defense Ministry assessed that the lack of artillery had resulted in an inability by the Kremlin to develop significant offensive action.
Michael Starr
Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-734262
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