Ukraine's capabilities: military expert Zgurets names amount of ammunition Ukraine can produce

He expressed this opinion on the Espreso TV channel.

"Poland started producing 155-mm ammunition in 2015. In 2010, they signed an agreement with the Czechs on the licensed production of this ammunition. That is, it took 5 years to launch a full production cycle of 155-mm ammunition. Ukraine had some experience in developing 155-mm ammunition. This program was very actively promoted, but it was very slow to be implemented in practice," Zgurets said.

The analyst also named the optimal amount of ammunition production in Ukraine, given the capacities.

"We would not have achieved the amount of ammunition we need even earlier. We are now accelerating the production of ammunition and mines in cooperation with our Western partners. We have not really reached the volume of ammunition production, but we have already taken the first steps to do so. The only question is that these steps should be taken at a normal pace to produce at least 5-7 thousand rounds of ammunition per month. Such figures would be quite high, given the starting capabilities we had on the eve of Russia's full-scale invasion," he said.

• On April 13, the EU Council approved €1 billion in ammunition for Ukraine. May 2 The EU prepares a plan to produce 1 million shells for Ukraine and its own stockpiles.
• May 23 EU Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell announces that since the beginning of the year, EU states have already provided more than 20% of the one million artillery rounds and missiles to Ukraine.
• On June 1, the European Parliament supported a bill to increase European production of ammunition and missiles to support the Ukrainian army. On July 7, the Council of the European Union and the Parliament agreed on a draft regulation on the Ammunition Support Act (ASAP), which will increase the production of missiles and combat kits.
• On July 13, the European Parliament approved plans to increase the production of ammunition and missiles in the EU to overcome the current shortage due to supplies to Ukraine.
• On September 5, it was reported that the European Defense Agency had signed 8 framework contracts with industry for the joint purchase of 155-mm ammunition for Ukraine.
• In early November, it was reported that the EU fears that the bloc may not be able to provide Ukraine with one million rounds of ammunition by the promised deadline of March 2024.
• November 14 German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius says that the EU will not be able to fulfill its promise to supply one million artillery shells to Ukraine by March 2024. 
• November 17 President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs says that if the EU lacks ammunition and equipment to help Ukraine, it should be purchased abroad and provided to the Ukrainian army.
• November 24 Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Dzhyhyr says that the purchase of missile weapons and ammunition is one of the priorities of Ukraine's defense budget for 2024.