Finland’s defense industry strikes threaten ammunition production for Ukraine’s military

Defense industry workers in Finland may stop ammunition production for Ukraine due to strikes.

Yle reports this.

The new strikes announced by the Finnish Industrial Association on January 18 will also affect Nammo's munitions factories, which have not previously been involved in strikes. The two-day strike is expected to halt ammunition production at the company's three plants and a gunpowder plant in Lapua, Sastamala, and Vikhtavuor.

The company's general director, Raimo Helasmäki, believes that the protests planned for February 1 and 2 may affect the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

"In this world situation and during the war in Ukraine, it is bad to stop production. At all four plants, the order portfolios for this year are full. This will also affect the supply of ammunition to Ukraine," he said.

Gunpowder production will be most affected by the strike. It is a gunpowder that is currently in great shortage in the world. Helasmäki predicts that the plant shutdown will last four days in total.

At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of Finland is confident that the suspension of factories will not affect the quantity and quality of ammunition supplies for Ukraine's armed forces.

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On December 21, the President of Finland, Sauli Niinisto, approved a military aid package for Ukraine worth 106 million euros.

Earlier, Rubryka reported that Finland will more than double the production of artillery shells in order to increase its defense capability, as well as to provide long-term support to Ukraine.

The government and industrial companies will invest a total of 120 million euros ($130 million) to increase production capacity for the production of artillery shells, of which about 24 million euros will be allocated by the defense ministry, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement released on Tuesday.