Ukraine and Russia narrow ammunition gap to record 1:2 ratio

The proportion of artillery ammunition utilized by Ukraine and Russia has significantly decreased. Currently, the ratio of artillery shells fired is approximately 1 to 2.

First Deputy Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk told about this in a blitz interview with RBC-Ukraine.

According to him, at the beginning of the year, the number of shots fired by the occupying forces exceeded Ukrainians by 7-8 times. By early summer, however, the ratio had dropped to 1 to 3, and is now about 1 to 2.

"The provision of ammunition can be evaluated as follows. If we talk, for example, about artillery ammunition, at the beginning of the year the ratio of shots [in Ukrainian and occupying troops – ed.] was 1 to 7, 1 to 8, and even more in some months. As of the beginning of summer, this ratio was 1 to 3. Now this ratio is approximately 1 to 2," he said.

One of the key reasons for this progress is the successful strikes of the Defense Forces of Ukraine on Russian ammunition depots.

"The Russians actually have no restrictions on the use of artillery ammunition. They spend a colossal amount of shells, tanks, and soldiers. However, not only the quantitative ratio of ammunition, particularly artillery shells, plays an important role," Havryliuk noted.

Havryliuk also emphasized that the tactical and technical characteristics of Western artillery systems play a decisive role in increasing the effectiveness of Ukrainian attacks.

In his opinion, the result is significantly influenced by the training of calculations, their combat experience, tactical and technical characteristics of artillery systems.

"Western systems are more accurate and have a longer range. Due to this, we destroy targets, spending less projectiles," the representative of the Ministry of Defense stated.

It's important to mention that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are currently engaged in active operations within the borders of the Russian Federation, targeting important military infrastructure with their attacks. Late on October 20, they launched a powerful attack on the "Lipetsk-2" military airfield in the Lipetsk region of Russia.

Furthermore, the Ukrainian armed forces' General Staff has officially announced the successful elimination of the Russian airbase known as "Khanskaya" in the Republic of Adygea within Russian territory. This military base housed hostile Su-34, Su-35, and Mi-8 helicopters.

Furthermore, images of the Russian military airfield "Borysoglebsk" in the Voronezh region of the Russian Federation were released for the first time following the attack by Ukrainian drones on the morning of October 3.

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According to plans made in early 2023, the EU has pledged to supply Ukraine with one million artillery shells in the next 12 months. However, the implementation of this initiative has encountered difficulties. According to Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, one of the reasons is the poor condition of the EU's defense industry.

In turn, at the Munich Security Conference on February 17, Czech President Petr Pavel said that his country had identified 500,000 155mm and 300,000 122mm shells that could be delivered within weeks if the money was available.

The initial shipment of ammunition from the "Czech initiative" arrived in June. In the following two months, Ukraine will receive 100,000 artillery shells, followed by 500,000 more by the end of the year. As of now, over 1/3 of the total 500,000 munitions promised by the Czech initiative are already in Ukraine.

The Czechoslovak Group and the "Ukrainian armored vehicles" industrial and technological groups will team up to manufacture 155-millimeter artillery ammunition in Ukraine, starting in 2025.

In September, Oleksandr Kamyshin, a former Minister of Strategic Industries who is now an adviser to the head of the President's Office, stated that Ukraine had begun producing 155 mm artillery shells.