Ukraine triples weapons production in one year. Work underway on gunpowder – Zelenskyy

This year, the Ukrainian defense industry produced three times as many weapons and equipment as in 2022. Work is also underway to produce the gunpowder needed to make ammunition, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a speech to the Ukrainian defense industry.

"This year alone, thanks to you and everyone who works in our defense sector, we have managed to produce three times more weapons and equipment than last year. There is a very significant increase in the production of ammunition, in particular for artillery," Zelenskyy said.

He noted that the government is now working to secure funding for long-term contracts, and special attention is being paid to the production of explosives and powders.

"This is a matter of specialty chemistry; it is really extremely difficult—and not only for us, but for most of the world. It is in short supply everywhere today. Investments in this area are especially needed, and we will increase them," the president said.

He emphasized that Ukraine is also systematically deploying the production of ammunition for domestic drones, and there are "important results" in the production of Ukrainian missiles.

"The quantitative and qualitative indicators for missiles are already more noticeable and will be even more so," Zelenskyy assured.

He emphasized that the share of private companies in the Ukrainian defense industry is constantly growing, and now four out of five defense companies are non-state-owned.

On December 19, Zelenskyy announced that Ukrainian production plans to produce 1 million drones and increase the number of artillery in 2024.

On December 21, the director of the Ukrainian Armor Company notes that it will not be possible to increase its own production of shells quickly because equipment has to wait for two years and there is no gunpowder production.

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