Russia is churning out artillery shells about three times faster than Ukraine’s Western allies and at roughly a quarter of the cost, new analysis has revealed.
The data, released by Sky News, and collated by consulting firm Bain & Company, highlights the significant hurdle for the Ukrainian armed forces.
The study, using publicly available data, revealed that Russian factories are expected to produce or refurbish approximately 4.5 million artillery shells this year. This is in stark contrast to the combined production of about 1.3 million rounds across European nations and the US.
The research also highlighted the cost disparity, stating that the average production cost per 155 mm shell – the type produced by NATO countries – was around £3,160 ($4,000) per unit, though it varied significantly between countries.
This is compared with a reported Russian production cost of around £790 ($1,000) per 152 mm shell used by the Russian armed forces.
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Because of this, Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline report that for every single round they fire at Russian forces, the enemy can retaliate with about five shells.
But to address the problem, Kyiv’s forces are using their skills to maximise the impact of their limited ammunition supplies.
Senior Lieutenant Kostiantin, who is currently fighting on the front line against Russia’s forces, said: “Often, with just one, two or three shells, we can completely destroy a target.”
However, the commander emphasized the ongoing need for more ammunition supplies. “We have to keep holding the Russians back and make every metre of land they try to take cost them hundreds of lives.”
