Russia is using ammunition faster than producing it – U.S. intelligence

The Russian military in Ukraine spends more ammunition than the defense industry can produce.

Avril Haines, Director of U.S. National Intelligence, shared this, according to NBCNews.

“Russia is using up ammunition “quite quickly,” prompting Moscow to look to other countries for help, including North Korea,” Haines told at a panel at the Reagan Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.

Avril Haines did not name the exact number of Russian expenditures but emphasized that they are significant for the Russian side and this will be a challenge for the Russian Federation. Previously, the Pentagon reported that the Russian Federation is firing off a staggering 20,000 artillery rounds a day.

“And our own sense is that they are not capable of indigenously producing what they are expending at this stage. So that is going to be a challenge,” she said.

Also, the Director of the U.S. National Intelligence noted that Russia was using up precision munitions even faster than its conventional ammunition.

The White House stated that the Russian Federation had turned to North Korea to obtain the necessary weapons. This, in particular, regards artillery ammunition. Now, according to the US intelligence community, the amount of assistance from North Korea seems limited.

“We’ve indicated we’ve seen some movement, but it’s not been a lot at this stage,” she commented on North Korea’s role.

At the beginning of November, the media reported that North Korea’s assistance to the Russian Federation consists, in particular, of sewing winter uniforms and gear for Russian troops.

However, according to US National Intelligence, Russia will have problems not only with ammunition. Challenges also lie within low morale and problems with material and technical support.

It is emphasized that in the coming months, the pace of hostilities might slow down, and both armies would try to regroup and recharge for further hostilities. The USA also has doubts about the readiness of the Russian Federation to renew the high pace of the war.

As previously reported, at the end of November, photos of Russian 152-mm artillery ammunition belonging to the batch produced in 2022 appeared on the Internet.

The news of the appearance of recently manufactured ammunition on the battlefield indicates the resumption of their mass production. Due to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia spent the stockpiled ammunition that it managed to accumulate.