Latest news with #armsproduction
New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Ukraine Ups Its Arms Production, Asking Allies to Pay for It
The clang of hammers and the whine of drills echo through a factory in central Ukraine, as workers assemble hulking armored personnel carriers that troops will soon ride into combat — a cacophony that captures this moment in the war with Russia. Ukraine has been ramping up domestic arms production significantly, unable to rely as heavily as it once did on an increasingly uncertain supply of weapons from its allies. Last year, Ukrainian Armor, a private company that runs the armored vehicle factory, produced double the number of vehicles it did the year before, according to Vladislav Belbas, the chief executive. 'But that's not enough,' Mr. Belbas said during a recent visit to the factory, which also includes an assembly line for mortars. 'We need to produce more.' His view reflects a growing sense of reckoning in Ukraine after three and a half years of war. President Trump's inconsistent support for Ukraine has called into question the continued backing of the United States, Kyiv's biggest arms supplier. The Trump administration recently paused some arms transfers but then reversed course, agreeing to sell weapons to European allies, which will then give them to Ukraine. But even with greater certainty about the flow of Western weapons, it still does not match what Ukraine needs to fend off the Russian invasion. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Ukraine to boost domestic arms production to counter Russia's invasion, says Zelenskyy
KYIV, Ukraine -- A new Ukrainian government approved Thursday will race to expand domestic arms production to meet half the country's weapons needs within six months as it tries to push back Russia's invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Meanwhile, Switzerland said Thursday that the U.S. Defense Department had informed it that Washington is diverting a Swiss order for Patriot air defense systems to help Ukraine, which badly needs to improve its response to increasingly heavy Russian aerial attacks. Patriot air defence systems for Ukraine The Swiss Defence Ministry, which in 2022 ordered five Patriot systems, said Thursday it has been informed by the U.S. Defense Department that it will 'reprioritize the delivery of Patriot systems to support Ukraine.' It was not immediately clear whether the Swiss-ordered Patriots would go directly to Ukraine or would replace units in other European countries that may be donated to Kyiv. Delivery to Switzerland of the systems, worth billions of dollars, was scheduled to begin in 2027 and be completed in 2028. But the Swiss government said Washington informed it of the delay on Wednesday, adding that it was unclear how many systems would be affected. The need to adequately arm Ukraine's military is pressing as Russia looks to drive forward its summer offensive after three years of war and pounds Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and ballistic and cruise missiles. It remains unclear when the promised U.S.-made weapons, especially the Patriot systems, might reach Ukraine. Trump has agreed to send the weaponry, but it will be paid for by European countries. No timeframe for foreign weapons in Ukraine The U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said he couldn't give a timeframe for when Ukraine might get extra foreign weapons. 'We are all moving with haste to facilitate this and get this done. Things are actually moving very quickly, but I can't verify a date that this will all be completed. I think it's going to be an ongoing movement,' he told reporters in Brussels. 'The plan is that there will be American-made defence equipment, capabilities, that will be sold to our European allies, that they will provide to Ukraine,' he said. British Defence Secretary John Healey said Thursday he and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius will chair a meeting of Ukraine's allies on Monday to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's weapons plans. Healey said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO leader Mark Rutte will attend the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, told The Associated Press Thursday that 'preparations are underway' for weapons transfers to Ukraine and that NATO is working 'very closely' with Germany to transfer Patriot systems. Grynkewich said at a military event in Wiesbaden, Germany, that he had been ordered to 'move (the weapons) out as quickly as possible.' He said the number of weapons being transferred is classified. German Defense Ministry spokesperson Mitko Muller said Wednesday he couldn't confirm that anything is currently on its way to Ukraine. Rutte, the NATO chief, said in Washington on Monday that the alliance is co-ordinating the military support with funding from allies in Europe and Canada. He said there were commitments from Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada, 'with more expected to follow.' Ukraine now makes 40% of its own weapons Ukraine's domestic defense manufacturing already accounts for almost 40 per cent of weapons used by the Ukrainian military, according to Zelenskyy. As uncertainty grows about how many more weapons shipments Western countries can provide -- and how quickly -- Ukraine is keen to increase its output and widen its strikes on Russian soil. 'What we need is greater capacity to push the war back onto Russia's territory -- back to where the war was brought from,' Zelenskyy said late Wednesday in his nightly video address. 'We must reach the level of 50 per cent Ukrainian-made weapons within the first six months of the new government's work by expanding our domestic production.' Ukraine has also developed its own long-range drones, which it uses to strike deep inside Russia. Russian air defences shot down 122 Ukrainian drones overnight, the country's defence ministry said Thursday. The wave of drones caused flights to be grounded at airports in Moscow and St. Petersburg, although most of the drones were reportedly destroyed over the border regions of Bryansk and Kursk. Meanwhile, Russia attacked Ukraine with 64 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, killing at least one person, the Ukrainian air force reported. The assault centered on the industrial Dnipropetrovsk region, officials said. In other developments: Russia on Thursday sent to Ukraine 1,000 bodies, including some of the country's fallen soldiers, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said. At the same time, Russia received the bodies of 19 soldiers, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky said. The exchange was part of a deal reached at direct peace talks last May and June that produced few other agreements between the sides. ------ By Volodymyr Yurchuk And Emma Burrows Burrows reported from Wiesbaden, Germany. Geir Moulson in Berlin and Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed to this report.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Ukraine to boost domestic arms production to counter Russia's invasion
A newly approved Ukrainian government is set to rapidly expand the country's domestic arms production to meet half of its weaponry needs within six months as it strives to counter Russia's invasion, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday. In parallel, Switzerland announced that the U.S. Defense Department had notified it that Washington is redirecting a Swiss order for Patriot air defense systems to assist Ukraine, which urgently needs to bolster its defense against intensifying Russian aerial strikes. The Swiss Defense Ministry, which had placed an order for five Patriot systems in 2022, confirmed on Thursday that the U.S. Defense Department informed it that it will 'reprioritize the delivery of Patriot systems to support Ukraine.' It remains unclear whether the Swiss-ordered Patriots will be sent directly to Ukraine or if they will replace systems in other European countries that could be donated to Kyiv. The delivery of the systems, worth billions of dollars, had been scheduled to start in 2027 and conclude in 2028, but the Swiss government revealed that Washington informed it of the delay on Wednesday. The number of systems affected remains uncertain. The urgency of arming Ukraine's military grows as Russia intensifies its summer offensive, after three years of conflict, launching waves of drones and ballistic and cruise missiles on Ukrainian cities. The timeline for when the promised U.S.-made weapons, especially the Patriot systems, will arrive in Ukraine remains unclear. Former President Trump had agreed to send the weapons, but European nations are covering the cost. U.S. Ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, remarked that he could not provide a specific timeframe for when Ukraine might receive additional foreign weapons. 'We are all moving with haste to facilitate this and get this done. Things are actually moving very quickly, but I can't verify a date that this will all be completed. I think it's going to be an ongoing movement,' he stated in Brussels. 'The plan is that there will be American-made defense equipment, capabilities, that will be sold to our European allies, that they will provide to Ukraine,' he added. On Thursday, British Defense Secretary John Healey announced that he and German counterpart Boris Pistorius will co-chair a meeting of Ukraine's allies on Monday to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's weapons plans. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO head Mark Rutte are expected to attend the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said on Thursday that "preparations are underway" for weapons transfers to Ukraine and that NATO is collaborating "very closely" with Germany on the transfer of Patriot systems. Speaking at a military event in Wiesbaden, Germany, Grynkewich revealed that he had been instructed to "move (the weapons) out as quickly as possible" and noted that the exact number of weapons being transferred is classified. A spokesperson from the German Defense Ministry, Mitko Müller, stated on Wednesday that he could not confirm whether any weapons were currently on their way to Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated on Monday in Washington that the alliance is coordinating military support, with funding from European and Canadian allies. He highlighted commitments from Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada, with further commitments anticipated. Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine's domestic defense manufacturing already accounts for nearly 40% of the weapons used by its military. Given the uncertainty surrounding the volume and speed of additional Western weapons shipments, Ukraine is eager to increase its domestic output and expand its operations against Russian targets. 'What we need is greater capacity to push the war back onto Russia's territory - back to where the war was brought from,' Zelenskyy emphasized in his late Wednesday video address. 'We must reach the level of 50% Ukrainian-made weapons within the first six months of the new government's work by expanding our domestic production,' he added. Ukraine has also developed long-range drones to carry out deep strikes inside Russian territory. Russian air defenses claimed to have shot down 122 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Russian defense ministry reported Thursday. The drone attack grounded flights at Moscow and St. Petersburg airports, although most of the drones were destroyed over the border regions of Bryansk and Kursk. In retaliation, Russia launched 64 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, killing at least one person, according to the Ukrainian air force. The assault focused on the industrial Dnipropetrovsk region.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Ukraine aims to expand domestic arms production to 50% of needs within 6 months
A new Ukrainian government, expected to be approved Thursday, will race to expand domestic arms production to meet half the country's weapons needs within six months as it tries to push back Russia's invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says. Domestic defense manufacturing already accounts for almost 40% of weapons used by the Ukrainian military, according to Zelenskyy. As uncertainty grows about how many more weapons shipments Western countries can provide — and how quickly — Ukraine is keen to increase its output and widen its strikes on Russian soil. 'What we need is greater capacity to push the war back onto Russia's territory — back to where the war was brought from," Zelenskyy said late Wednesday in his nightly video address. 'We must reach the level of 50% Ukrainian-made weapons within the first six months of the new government's work by expanding our domestic production.' The need to adequately arm Ukraine's military is pressing as Russia looks to drive forward its summer offensive and pounds Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and ballistic and cruise missiles. Meanwhile, it remained unclear when promises of U.S.-made weapons, especially Patriot missile systems crucial for stretched Ukrainian air defenses, might reach Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to send the weaponry, but it will be paid for by European countries. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, told the Associated Press Thursday that 'preparations are underway' for weapons transfers to Ukraine and that NATO is working 'very closely' with Germany to transfer Patriot systems. Grynkewich said at a military event in Wiesbaden, Germany, that he had been ordered to 'move (the weapons) out as quickly as possible.' He said the number of weapons being transferred is classified. 'We're already in preparation phase for the first tranche of capability to start moving with respect to Patriots,' he said. An expert working group under Grynkewich is to discuss concrete planning 'very quickly but also with corresponding caution,' German Defense Ministry spokesperson Mitko Müller said Wednesday. He said that the 'exact modalities' are still being worked out, as are the 'modalities of what systems will be supplied.' He added: 'Regarding the systems that we are talking about, I can't confirm that anything is currently on the way. I'm not aware of that.' NATO chief Mark Rutte said in Washington on Monday that the alliance is coordinating the military support with funding from allies in Europe and Canada. He said there were commitments from Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada 'with more expected to follow.' Ukraine has also developed its own long-range drones, which it uses to strike deep inside Russia . Russian air defenses shot down 122 Ukrainian drones overnight, the country's defense ministry said Thursday. The wave of drones caused flights to be grounded at airports in Moscow and St Petersburg, although most of the drones were reportedly destroyed over the border regions of Bryansk and Kursk. ___ Volodymyr Yurchuk And Emma Burrows, The Associated Press Burrows reported from Wiesbaden, Germany. Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine aims to expand domestic arms production to 50% of needs within 6 months
A new Ukrainian government, expected to be approved Thursday, will race to expand domestic arms production to meet half the country's weapons needs within six months as it tries to push back Russia's invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says. Domestic defense manufacturing already accounts for almost 40% of weapons used by the Ukrainian military, according to Zelenskyy. As uncertainty grows about how many more weapons shipments Western countries can provide — and how quickly — Ukraine is keen to increase its output and widen its strikes on Russian soil. 'What we need is greater capacity to push the war back onto Russia's territory — back to where the war was brought from," Zelenskyy said late Wednesday in his nightly video address. 'We must reach the level of 50% Ukrainian-made weapons within the first six months of the new government's work by expanding our domestic production.' The need to adequately arm Ukraine's military is pressing as Russia looks to drive forward its summer offensive and pounds Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and ballistic and cruise missiles. Meanwhile, it remained unclear when promises of U.S.-made weapons, especially Patriot missile systems crucial for stretched Ukrainian air defenses, might reach Ukraine. U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to send the weaponry, but it will be paid for by European countries. NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, told the Associated Press Thursday that 'preparations are underway' for weapons transfers to Ukraine and that NATO is working 'very closely' with Germany to transfer Patriot systems. Grynkewich said at a military event in Wiesbaden, Germany, that he had been ordered to 'move (the weapons) out as quickly as possible.' He said the number of weapons being transferred is classified. 'We're already in preparation phase for the first tranche of capability to start moving with respect to Patriots,' he said. An expert working group under Grynkewich is to discuss concrete planning 'very quickly but also with corresponding caution,' German Defense Ministry spokesperson Mitko Müller said Wednesday. He said that the 'exact modalities' are still being worked out, as are the 'modalities of what systems will be supplied.' He added: 'Regarding the systems that we are talking about, I can't confirm that anything is currently on the way. I'm not aware of that.' NATO chief Mark Rutte said in Washington on Monday that the alliance is coordinating the military support with funding from allies in Europe and Canada. He said there were commitments from Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Canada 'with more expected to follow.' Ukraine has also developed its own long-range drones, which it uses to strike deep inside Russia . Russian air defenses shot down 122 Ukrainian drones overnight, the country's defense ministry said Thursday. The wave of drones caused flights to be grounded at airports in Moscow and St Petersburg, although most of the drones were reportedly destroyed over the border regions of Bryansk and Kursk. ___ Burrows reported from Wiesbaden, Germany. Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at
