Ukraine resumes production of ammunition for small arms

The Ukrainian defense industry has launched the production of 5.45×39 and 5.56×45mm ammunition for the Ukrainian army.

The Pro Zbroyu Telegram channel published the photos of the ammunition.

The blog authors published a photo from the range where they fired 5.45×39mm ammunition of Ukrainian production. According to the information on the packaging, it was manufactured in June of this year.

According to the labeling, the ammunition is equipped with a 4-gram full metal jacketed bullet. Its tail part has a rounded conical shape, which should positively impact ballistic characteristics and shot accuracy.

In the post, the authors of the photo mentioned that the ballistics of Ukrainian ammunition at a distance of 400 meters is similar to that of Soviet 7N6 (5.45 PS) army ammunition.

In the comments, the subscribers also noted that the bullet is equipped with a steel core, which ensures proper penetration. They posted a photo of the cut, where steel is visible under the copper shell.

The commentators also posted photos of identical packages of Ukrainian-made ammunition in the NATO 5.56×45mm caliber.

Some of the packages are labeled with the SS109 cartridge standard. They are equipped with an all-metal bullet with a lead core and a non-hardened steel tip.

The photo’s author shared that Ukrainian-made ammunition of this caliber has been in service for a long time.

A cartridge factory in Ukraine

After the Russian occupation of the Luhansk Ammunition Plant in 2014, Ukroboronprom lost its capacity to produce ammunition for small arms. The resumption of production is a significant event for the Ukrainian defense industry.

It is currently unclear how localized the production of ammunition is. Most likely, cartridge cases are manufactured in the country, and ammunition is assembled from ready-made components. However, such intricate processes as the manufacture of powders, capsules, and bullets of complex design are unlikely to be mastered by the Ukrainian defense industry.

Back in 2023, it was reported that Ukraine’s defense industry would cooperate with the Czech company Sellier & Bellot, which specializes in manufacturing ammunition for firearms.