The level of Russia’s weapons and ammunition production since the start of the conflict with Ukraine has surpassed NATO’s expectations, the secretary general of the US-led military bloc has acknowledged.
Speaking to Sky News on Monday, Jens Stoltenberg was asked to comment on a study released last month by the consulting firm Bain & Company, which revealed that Moscow was generating artillery shells at more than three times the rate of all NATO members combined.
“It’s correct that Russia has been able to build up their defense industry faster than we expected, and it’s correct that NATO allies have spent more time than they should in ramping up our production,” Stoltenberg replied.
The reason for Western nations lagging behind is that “after the Cold War we actually built down our defense industry,” he explained.
However, according to Stoltenberg, the situation is now improving, with “all of the NATO allies... increasing the capacity to produce ammunition and weapons.”
There were “delays and gaps” in deliveries to Kiev in recent months, but “this is really changing and… the flow of ammunition into Ukraine has increased over the last weeks.”
Russia’s advances in Kharkov Region in recent weeks demonstrate “the need for us to step up our support” for Kiev, the secretary general said.
This support will continue even if former US President Donald Trump wins the election in November, because it is in the interests of both Europe and the US, Stoltenberg insisted. Trump has for months expressed skepticism on donating arms to Ukraine, arguing that the US should stop giving foreign aid unless it is structured as a loan, and insisting that the bulk of the support should come from Europe.
A Russian victory over Ukraine “will make the world more dangerous and us more vulnerable,” Stoltenberg warned.
The paper by Bain & Company said Russian factories are projected to make or refurbish approximately 4.5 million artillery rounds this year, compared to the West’s combined output of about 1.3 million rounds. The figures given by the firm also suggested that the average production cost of a 152mm shell for Moscow stands at $1,000, while the price of the 155mm rounds used by NATO is up to $4,000.
In late May, Russian President Vladimir Putin said domestic ammunition output had increased by a factor of 14, drone manufacturing has seen a four-fold surge, and the assembly of tanks and armored vehicles had risen by a factor of 3.5 since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022.