Finland to double ammunition production to help Ukraine

Finland’s Defence Ministry has decided to double the production of ammunition in order to be able to support Ukraine in the long term.

Source: statement released by Finland’s Defence Ministry, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Finland’s Defence Ministry has committed to investing around €24 million to ramp up the production of large-calibre ammunitions and to obtain long-term orders from the Finnish industry, which will enable defence industry businesses to invest more of their own money into production.

In addition, Finnish defence businesses will be able to apply for European Union support under the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP).

The Finnish Ministry of Defence and the defence industry will invest a total of around €120 million, which will more than double ammunition production capacity compared to the current level.

"Today’s decision will significantly increase Finland’s heavy ammunition production capacity, enabling long-term support for Ukraine until the 2030s. The increase in production is significant on the European scale and will strengthen Finland’s own defence capability," Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen said.

Finland’s Defence Ministry stressed that Finland’s ammunition production has already more than doubled compared to the level prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

"In addition, the Ministry of Defence has placed several long-term orders for heavy ammunition with Finnish manufacturers since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. This has enabled the Finnish [defence] industry to hire more staff and ramp up ammunition production capacity at existing plants," Häkkänen explained.

Background:

• Demand for artillery shells, especially 155 mm calibre, has increased dramatically since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The United States and its allies have sent more than two million of these shells to Ukraine. Western powers are now seeking to increase production of artillery shells to replenish their stockpiles and provide them to Ukraine.
• On 6 December 2023, Reuters reported that Ukraine had so far received only 480,000 of the 1 million of artillery shells that the EU member states promised to deliver to Ukraine by the spring of 2024.

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