Explosive US report:

Russia produces three times more ammunition than NATO

These British-made shells are ready for transportation to Ukraine.(Bild: AP)

According to a US media report, Russia is miles ahead in the production of ammunition. According to the report, the Russian Federation produces 250,000 artillery shells per month, or around three million per year. In comparison, Europe and the USA only produce just under 1.2 million. These figures naturally also play an important role in the war in Ukraine. Even if the occupied former Soviet republic now has state-of-the-art weapons systems from the West: The lack of ammunition can make the difference between victory and defeat.

In its report, the US news channel CNN cites information from NATO intelligence and insiders from the arms industry. "We are in a production war. The outcome of the war in Ukraine depends on which side is how well equipped. The most important issue now is ammunition. And here Russia has a considerable advantage on the battlefield," the TV station quotes a high-ranking NATO official.

These British-made shells are ready to be transported to Ukraine.(Bild: AP)

Iranian and North Korean help for Putin
He also knows that Russian arms factories run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The number of employees in the arms industry has been increased by around one million. In a recent interview with krone.at, US historian Mark Kramer said: "I have to say, you have to recognize Russia's ability to develop new sources of weapons and war equipment." Even if Putin needs ammunition and drones from Iran and North Korea, the engine of Russian arms production is humming. In the EU, it is now running slightly faster after having been "miserably slow", says Kramer.

War economy: authoritarian Russia has an advantage
In Europe and the USA, it is also more difficult to get military budgets through parliaments, while Putin has no representative body that really controls him. The Duma in Moscow has given its nod to his budget plans - including massive increases for the military. However, the capacity limits of the war economy set up by Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin are likely to be reached this year, according to NATO speculation. But these capacities are still sufficient to produce more than Ukraine's western allies.

Archive image from 2023: Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at an arms fair in Moscow(Bild: APA/AFP/POOL/Mikhail KLIMENTYEV)

US aid still blocked
Especially as the future of new financial aid from the USA remains unclear. US President Joe Biden requested a large billion-euro package for Kiev from Congress months ago. However, some Republicans are skeptical about or reject support for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. The domestic political blockade has prevented the delivery of military supplies from the USA to Kiev for some time.