“Ukraine can do it”
Zelenskyj wants to massively ramp up weapons production
08/29/2023, 00:01
Ukraine is dependent on arms supplies from the West to fight the Russian invasion. But a lot is also produced in the country itself. According to President Zelenskyy, it could be even more. Now the financing should stand for significant increases in capacity.
After more than a year and a half of war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced a maximum increase in arms production to fight the Russian invasion. In addition to artillery weapons and ammunition, drones, rockets and armored vehicles should also be manufactured in the country. “We are increasing the production volume to the maximum. Ukraine can do it. The financing is in place. Our defense industry will bring good results,” Zelenskyy said in his video message distributed every evening in Kiev on Monday evening.
The Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly announced plans to turn the country into one of the largest arms producers. According to Selenskyj, he met with representatives of the defense industry so that production could be further ramped up. The country is dependent on huge amounts of ammunition and weapons in its counter-offensive to liberate the occupied areas, which has been sluggish for weeks. The country relies primarily on the military aid of Western allies.
Zelenskyj once again reiterated that Ukraine must also create the conditions for the new combat aircraft. Kiev is hoping for the early delivery of the F-16 fighter jets announced by the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. Everything had been done politically for the delivery. But now the infrastructure for accommodating the fighter jets must also be prepared. “That’s a military task,” said the President.
At the same time, Zelenskyy instructed the military to make preparations for the winter, for example to protect the energy infrastructure that Russia has repeatedly shelled in the past.