NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned of the need for the Western defense industry to increase ammunition production capacity to meet Ukrainian needs. On the eve of the meeting of the defense ministers of the Atlantic Alliance, which takes place in Brussels this Tuesday, Stoltenberg warned that “the war in Ukraine is consuming a huge amount of ammunition and depleting the reserves of the Allies”. from Kiev to spend them “many times higher” than the current production capacity.
According to this official, the waiting time for large caliber ammunition has increased from 12 to 28 months. “Orders placed today will not be delivered for another two and a half years,” he revealed, asking for investment in production capacity. Meanwhile, he is calling for accelerated deliveries to Ukraine “before Russia has a chance to take the initiative on the battlefield”. And he insisted, “Speed will save lives.” This comes at a time when NATO “sees no sign whatsoever” that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is “preparing for peace”.
Stoltenberg will end his term as NATO Secretary General in September and does not intend to ask for a further extension, according to his spokeswoman, Oana Lungescu. The former Norwegian prime minister, who has been in office since October 2014 and will turn 64 next month, was due to leave last year. But the war in Ukraine changed his plans to become governor of the Central Bank of Norway.
The ammunition shortage warnings come after Ukraine asked the West to send more weapons, despite Russia’s advance. Ten days before the first year of the invasion, the Ukrainian presidency admitted that the situation is “difficult” near the city of Bakhmut, in the east of the country, and in neighboring Soledar. “The settlement of Paraskoviivka is heavily shelled and attacked”, he said, referring to a location on the edge of what was the main Russian target.
Analysts say Bakhmut is not of great strategic importance, but he has become a symbol for Moscow, which expects a major victory before the anniversary of the invasion. Russia’s defense ministry, meanwhile, said its troops had captured Krasna Gora, a village near Paraskoviivka. The place was “liberated” by “voluntary assault units” with the support of Russian artillery fire. Over the weekend, however, the Wagner paramilitary group claimed to have already captured the area without any support from official troops – another sign of the malaise between the two sides.
Moldova blames Russia
Moldova’s president accused Russia of planning a violent coup to overthrow pro-European leaders. According to Maia Sandu, the Russian plans include using “saboteurs with military training” who have infiltrated anti-government protests. The idea is to use resources from countries such as Belarus, Serbia and Montenegro for “acts of violence, attacks on state institutions and taking hostages,” the president said in a statement without question, claiming the goal is “to overthrow the constitutional order and replace the legitimate power of Chisinau with an illegitimate one”.
Last week, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita tendered her resignation, citing “crises caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine”. Former Home Secretary Dorin Recean was nominated by Sandu to fill the post and was given two weeks to present a government and get it approved by parliament.
With agencies
Source: DN
