Finland to Produce Twice as Much Ammunition to Help Ukraine
On 12 December, Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen decided to increase local ammunition production capacity in order to be able to support Ukraine for a long time, the Finnish Ministry of Defence reports.
The ministry has pledged to invest about €24 million to increase production of large-calibre ammunition and to receive long-term orders from Finnish industry, which will allow the industry to invest on its own.
In addition, the Finnish industry will be able to apply to the EU for support under the financial package of the Ammunition Support Regulation, known as ASAP (Ammunition Support Act).
The total investment by the Finnish Ministry of Defence and industry will be around €120 million. This will more than double production capacity compared to the current level.
"Today's decision will significantly increase Finland's heavy ammunition production capacity, enabling long-term support for Ukraine until the 2030s. The increase in production is significant on a European scale and will also strengthen Finland's defence capability," Häkkänen said.
The Finnish Ministry of Defence emphasises that the production of ammunition in the country has already increased several times compared to the period before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"In addition, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence has placed long-term orders for heavy ammunition with the domestic industry. This has allowed the domestic industry to hire additional staff and increase the production of ammunition at existing facilities," the minister added.
Demand for artillery shells, in particular 155 mm calibre, has risen sharply since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The United States and its allies have already sent Kyiv more than two million of these shells. Now, Western powers are seeking to increase production of artillery shells to replenish their stockpiles and provide them to Ukraine.
According to Reuters, European Union member states have delivered only 480,000 of the promised one million artillery shells to Ukraine by spring 2024.
As The Gaze previously reported, a poll among the Finnish population showed a high level of support for Ukraine in its opposition to Russian aggression.
The vast majority of respondents believe that Russia should lose the war and withdraw its troops from Ukraine: 57% of respondents strongly agree with this, while another 28% rather agree (i.e. 85% in total).