The Danish Ministry of Defence Acquired an Ammunition Plant
Denmark's Ministry of Defence has announced an agreement to purchase a decommissioned ammunition plant in the village of Elling, which previously served as the sole supplier of artillery shells for the Danish military.
Danish Ministry of Defence announced this.
This decision to acquire the plant was made against the backdrop of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which exposed a shortage of artillery shells in European Union (EU) member states and NATO.
"The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing for over a year and a half, has significantly increased pressure on ammunition production in Europe. This critical situation underscores the need to re-establish ammunition production in Denmark," stated Troels Lund Poulsen, the country's Defence Minister.
The Danish government has not disclosed a specific timeline for the resumption of artillery shell production at the plant or the types of shells that will be manufactured.
According to reports in the Danish media, the cost of the purchase agreement for the plant amounts to 19.6 million Danish Kroner (approximately 2.8 million US dollars).
The Elling plant has a history dating back to 1676. Production ceased in 1968, and the facility was sold in 2008.
As previously reported by The Gaze, in September, the Danish Ministry of Defence announced the largest military aid package since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, totaling 5.8 billion Danish Kroner (approximately 833 million US dollars).
This marks Denmark's twelfth military aid package to Ukraine. This time, it will be distributed in three stages: 617 million dollars will be provided this year, an additional 209 million dollars in 2024, and 7 million dollars in 2025.
The Ministry of Defence also noted that this funding package will be administered through the Ukrainian Fund, which, in coordination with international partners, will provide a range of "necessary resources" to support Ukrainian military efforts against Russian aggressors. The package will include tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, tank ammunition, and anti-aircraft installations.
Previously, The Gaze reported that the European Council had approved the Ammunition Support Act (ASAP) in agreement with the European Parliament. This document allows EU member states to increase their production of ammunition.