⚠️ The Defense Procurement Agency (AOZ) has effectively derailed the launch of production of scarce 155mm ammunition in Ukraine this year. AOZ head Arsen Zhumadilov announced that Ukraine will not be purchasing ammunition produced under the joint project of “Ukrainian Armored Vehicles” and Czechoslovak Group (CSG, Czech Republic) in 2025.
Source: OBOZREVATEL
📉 According to information published on the “Mezha” website in the article “Shell and Contract Hunger: What’s Going on with Ukrainian 155mm Ammunition Production?”, Ukraine had planned to launch joint production of unique and highly needed 155mm shells in 2025. The project, implemented by “Ukrainian Armored Vehicles” and CSG, has been halted because AOZ did not contract domestic production and limited itself to imports only. This was confirmed by AOZ head Zhumadilov, who stated: “We do not expect Ukrainian-made ammunition production under this project this year.”
🤝 Last year, “Ukrainian Armored Vehicles” announced its intention to establish domestic production of the scarce 155mm shells. To do this, the company partnered with Czech firm CSG, which possesses the necessary technologies and capabilities. Under the agreement signed in October 2024, the production of NATO-standard ammunition was planned on Ukrainian soil, including five types of shells: 155mm M107, 155mm L15, 155mm ER-BT VMK/MKM, 105mm M1, and 120mm tank ammunition. CSG provided technical documentation free of charge.
✅ In December, military representatives confirmed the technical capacity of “Ukrainian Armored Vehicles” to manufacture these shells. The company declared readiness to produce 100,000 shells in 2025 and 300,000 in 2026.
💬 According to company head V. Belbas, in the first year alone, up to 55% of the value of each shell, depending on its type, would remain in Ukraine. After localizing production of fuses and primer sleeves, this share could rise to 70%.
🌍 As stated by “Mezha”, successful implementation of this project could have granted Ukraine a seat among the world’s arms manufacturing elite. However, this will not happen: the Defense Procurement Agency contracted only the imported portion – deliveries from the Czech Republic. Funding for Ukrainian shell production is currently not foreseen. The article notes that “a project that aimed for hundreds of thousands of NATO-caliber shells produced in Ukraine and years of factory load is currently limited to several tens of thousands ordered – and even those are imported, not Ukrainian.”
Discussion about this post