Germany’s armed forces have only about 20,000 large-caliber shells, enough for a war lasting just a few days, according to German Defense Ministry documents, reported by Der Spiegel on Monday, citing Reuters and Agerpres.
According to the same source, the documents were prepared in order to convince the budget committee of the legislative body of the urgent need to purchase shells to replenish stocks of artillery ammunition depleted by military aid given to Ukraine after the Russian invasion.
The war started by Russia is a war of great intensity with great consumption of ammunition. Every day, the Ukrainian army uses thousands of 155 mm shells, and the consumption of large-caliber shells from the Russian side is even greater.
Therefore, Ukraine’s allied countries provided it with a large number of shells, and given that the American and European defense industry is unable to cope with such a pace, some states have sharply reduced their ammunition stocks.
Germany must create a stockpile of around 230,000 shells by 2031 to meet NATO’s goal that member states of the alliance can sustain at least 30 days of high-intensity combat, writes Der Spiegel.
The Ministry of Defense of Germany has not yet commented on the report of this publication.
In addition, according to Der Spiegel, this ministry, which was headed by veteran politician Boris Pistorius in January, wants to present to the budget committee nine contracts for the accelerated acquisition of ammunition for tanks and heavy artillery in the coming months.
Follow the latest events of the 481st day of the war in Ukraine LIVETEXT on HOTNEWS.RO.
Source: Hot News
James Springer is a renowned author and opinion writer, known for his bold and thought-provoking articles on a wide range of topics. He currently works as a writer at 247 news reel, where he uses his unique voice and sharp wit to offer fresh perspectives on current events. His articles are widely read and shared and has earned him a reputation as a talented and insightful writer.