Britain to spend $311 million on artillery shells for Ukraine

Britain will invest £250 million ($311 million) in producing artillery shells for the Ukrainian army amid pressure to put factories on a “war footing”.

Grant Shapps, the Defence Secretary, announced the package on the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying it would boost “critical stockpiles” of ammunition.

Moscow’s forces are advancing across the front line in Ukraine and soldiers told The Telegraph on Thursday that they were no longer able to fire their rocket launchers as Western shell supplies had come to a halt.

Writing in The Telegraph on Saturday, Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, called on BAE systems to step up operations at its Sunderland factory producing 155mm shells. “We can and must counter Russia’s advantage, even if that means putting our own 155mm shell factory on a war footing.”

Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, warned EU counterparts this week his armed forces would need 2.5 million artillery shells in 2024.

Russia is currently firing five times more shells than Ukraine per day, thanks to drastically increased production in the country.

Following Saturday’s announcement, Mr Shapps said: “Nearly a quarter of a billion pounds’ worth of UK funding will boost their critical stockpiles of artillery ammunition, while the Royal Air Force completes a further delivery of advanced tank-busting missiles.

“Together, we will ensure Putin fails, and a victory for democracy, the rules-based international order, and the Ukrainian people.”

It came as Kyiv said on Friday that it had shot down an A-50U Russian spy plane over the Sea of Azov.

Ukraine’s military intelligence agency published a map appearing to show the plane had eventually crashed in southern Russia.

There was no official comment from Moscow, but authorities in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region said fire crews were at the scene of an air crash, without providing further details.