Indeed crazy numbers: does the Russian Federation produce more ammunition than NATO countries

To find out if this is true, Radio Liberty, together with the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) investigative group, conducted their research as the amount of weapons produced by the Russian Federation. However, journalists admit that they have taken information from open sources, so in some cases it is impossible to establish the exact amount of weapons produced.

According to the British Royal Institute of Defense Research (Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), in 2022 Russia produced 250,000 shots of 152 mm caliber, in 2023 - 1 million, and in 2024 planned to produce 1. 325 million such ammunition. In practice, researchers say, it produced just over 1. 3 million 152 mm ammunition. Also, in 2024, the Russian MIC in 2024 managed to perform its task for production of 800 thousand 122 mm shots.

Analysts have suggested that in 2025 Russian enterprises will be able to produce more explosives by launching new capacity. Ukrainian military intelligence has its data. According to the GRU of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russia produced more ammunition: in 2023 - 2 million calibers 152 mm and 122 mm, and in 2024 planned to produce 2. 7 million. Similar figures were voiced by an unnamed European official.

According to him, 250 thousand ammunition, or 3 million per year, is produced in the Russian Federation per month. In addition, Russia receives ammunition from the DPRK. Initially, these were shells of 122 and 152 mm, as well as mines and rockets for the RSSU, and now Russia also receives shells of 130 mm and 170 mm and rockets for Korean RSSL 240 and 107 mm. Last spring, an unnamed European official stated CNN that NATO countries could produce 1. 2 million ammunition a year to send to Ukraine.

Another source in NATO in the same year reported that in total, the Alliance was planning to produce 2 million main caliber ammunition in 2024, and in 2025-to reach a production volume of 3 million 155 mm ammunition. This approximately corresponds to the European Commission's report. Another million shots in 2025 were to produce the United States. In practice, the production capabilities of the European Union and the US may be more modest than the stated ones.

According to an unnamed Slovak source from the defense industry, voiced in July 2024, the EU was able to produce 580 thousand ammunition per year. In 2024, RheinMetall concluded a contract for the supply of ammunition for the German army worth $ 8. 5 billion. In addition, 300,000 main caliber ammunition and 150,000 other calibers within the Ukrainian Initiative was planned to produce a company from the Czech Republic of Stv Group-200 thousand 155 mm shots.

Thus, the total number of ammunition produced in 2025 in Europe alone in Europe, according to the most conservative estimates, can reach 1. 2 million. It should be reminded that the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine facilitated the work of ammunition and weapons manufacturers, normalizing certain issues of production, purchase and supply of explosives and ammunition to meet the needs of defense forces during the war.