If a small increase in Ukrainian artillery could halt the Russian advance, could a big increase reverse it? Could a few million fresh shells turn the tide of the war?

Seven weeks after Czech defense policy chief Jan Jires announced his government had identified 800,000—later, a million—artillery shells that Ukraine’s allies could buy for Ukraine, Estonian defense minister Hanno Pevkur said his own government had found another million shells and rockets for Ukraine.

Pevkur told Postimees he’s trying to scrounge, from the same countries that paid $1.3 billion for the Czech-sourced ammunition, an additional $2.2 billion to pay for the Estonian-sourced ammo.

“If we combine these one million shells, the Czechs’ potential purchases, our buying capabilities and also the British”—who reportedly are organizing their own ammo-for-Ukraine initiative—“I dare say that it would be possible to send Ukraine two-to-2.5 million shells this year, if the funding were available,” Pevkur said.

With 2.5 million additional shells and rockets through the end of the year, the Ukrainians could match Russia’s own ammo supply, Pevkur claimed. It would be the first time in a year that the Ukrainians could fire as many shells and rockets as the Russians could fire.

  • silliewousEnglish
    34·
    3 months ago

    Thats how diplomacy works. They’re probably getting them from countries considered allies of russia or dependent on russia in some way. This way they don’t directly piss off russia while still getting money and supporting Ukraine.