Russia Says Ramping Up Ammunition Production for Ukraine War

© The Moscow Times

Russia’s defense industry has stepped up production of ammunition for the military to use in Ukraine, Sergei Chemezov, who heads the state defense conglomerate Rostec, said Friday.

“Our enemies’ chatter about Russia allegedly running out of missiles, shells, etc. is complete nonsense,” Chemezov told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.

“We have increased the production of ammunition on orders by the Defense Ministry several times over,” he added without providing figures.

Chemezov acknowledged a spike in the use of various types of ammunition as Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine nears its one-year mark.

U.S. military officials have claimed recently that Russia could use up its “fully serviceable” ammunition by early 2023 and may soon be forced to use older and less reliable stocks.

President Vladimir Putin had urged Russia’s defense industry to boost output for the Armed Forces during the war in Ukraine.

Chemezov, who is believed to be Putin’s close associate, previously boasted of Rostec’s factories working “around the clock” to produce military equipment, including warplanes and tanks.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a U.S. think tank, said Friday the latest series of deadly missile and drone strikes across Ukraine showed that Russian forces have enough drones for “a few more large-scale strikes” without a fresh delivery from Iran.