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Germany facing shortage of shells due to Ukraine aid, to up production — media

According to the document, the Bundeswehr and German arms concern Rheinmetall signed a framework agreement under which the German army plans to purchase 200,000 155-mm artillery shells worth about €880 million

BERLIN, June 4. /TASS/. The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) intends to increase production of artillery shells by another 200,000 units amid the depletion of its arsenals due to aid to Ukraine, Der Spiegel reported citing a letter from the German defense industry to the budget committee of the Bundestag (German parliament).

According to the document, the Bundeswehr and German arms concern Rheinmetall signed a framework agreement under which the German army plans to purchase 200,000 155-mm artillery shells worth about €880 million ($960 million). This is in addition to an existing contract worth €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion). According to the magazine, this decision was driven by the reduction in the arsenals of the German Armed Forces caused by the supply of ammunition from their reserves to Ukraine.

On February 14, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that in 2024 Germany would transfer three to four times more artillery shells to Ukraine than in 2023. The Russian side has repeatedly emphasized that the West's sending arms to Ukraine only prolongs the conflict and does nothing to change the situation on the battlefield.

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Ukraine crisis Germany

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