The Ukrainian government is pouring money into the country's modest but rapidly expanding military industry, hoping that a rush of homemade ammunition and weapons would help expel Russia from its territory.

This effort has grown more intense in the last year as the United States and Europe have struggled to provide weapons and other assistance to Ukraine.

Ukraine Allocates $1.4 Billion to Acquire, Develop Weaponry

According to The Associated Press, almost $1.4 billion, or 20 times more than before Russia's full-scale invasion, was allocated by the Ukrainian government in 2024 to purchase and develop domestic armaments.

A large number of weapons are now being purchased from privately held firms, which is another significant change. The nation is seeing its fast expansion as it displaces state-owned firms in a once-dominant sector.

A mortar factory in western Ukraine, which was started last year by private individuals, now produces around 20,000 shells each month.

The 64-year-old proprietor of the plant, Anatolli Kuzmin, said: "I feel that we are bringing our country closer to victory." He formerly manufactured agricultural equipment and abandoned his home in southern Ukraine during the Russian invasion in 2022.

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The Military Sector Also Faces Multiple Hurdles

But, like with other parts of Ukraine's military equipment, the country's defense industry has been hampered by insufficient funding, personnel, and, according to generals and executives, excessive bureaucracy. Weapons and ammunition might be mass-produced at a quicker rate if the private sector were more capable and efficient.

European nations are having trouble delivering adequate ammunition, and $60 billion in US assistance is stuck in Congress, all of which have contributed to Ukraine's dramatic increase in military expenditures.

Think tank researcher Trevor Taylor of London's Royal United Services Institute claimed that no amount of Western help would give Ukraine a fighting chance against Russia, no matter how remarkable its military sector change has been.

"Ukraine is not capable of producing all the munitions that it needs for this fight. The hold up of $60 billion of American help is really proving to be a significant hindrance," Taylor said.

By demonstrating a readiness to deploy massive forces for even the slightest of gains, Russia has taken momentum along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and now controls roughly a quarter of Ukraine.

Russian military spending is on the rise, which has protected the country's economy from the worst effects of Western sanctions. Sergei Shoigu, the nation's minister of defense, recently bragged about the enormous gains in the production of tanks, drones, and ammunition, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

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