- Ukraine lags far behind Russia in its use and production of artillery shells, according to CNN.
- Russia fired 60,000 shells a day earlier this year, while Ukraine now fires about 7,000, per CNN.
Ukrainian forces are burning through artillery shells and ammunition at a rate of about 7,000 rounds a day, but this is still a much lower rate than Russia was using at the height of its military efforts earlier this year, according to CNN.
Ukraine is firing 6,000 to 7,000 artillery rounds per day compared to Russia's rate of 20,000 to 60,000 at the peak of its barrages this year, CNN reported, citing figures from Estonia's defense ministry and Ukrainian MP Oleksandra Ustinova.
The Ukrainian military wants to fire more than 10,000 rounds a day, according to CNN, which would still remain far below Russia's artillery efforts.
But to reach that level, Kyiv would need about 1.5 million artillery shelves a year, Armin Papperfer, CEO of Rheinmetall, one of Europe's leading arms manufacturers, told the outlet.
"Three years ago, everyone thought we can do everything with airplanes. It's not possible," Papperfer told CNN.
The brutal artillery battle between the two sides has been a hallmark of Russia's 18-month war in Ukraine.
However, this constant exchange of fire is depleting Ukraine's stockpile and worrying its allies about their own arsenals.
Western weapon manufacturers have scrambled to keep pace with Russia's production rates.
As of July, the US had committed to sending more than two million artillery rounds to Ukraine, while the EU has approved plans to send a quarter of a million rounds.
But a senior Estonian defense ministry source told The New York Times last week that Russia is currently generating seven times as much ammunition as the US and Europe combined.
To make up for it, the US has doubled its shell production from 14,000 earlier this year to 28,000 a month in September, with a view to reaching 57,000 a month by next spring, Bill LaPlante, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, said last week.
The US could ultimately produce one million shells a year, Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the army for acquisition, logistics, and technology, told reporters in early August.
Bush failed to provide a clear timeline for this.
In Europe, Germany's top arms manufacturer Rheinmetall expects to produce 400,000 shells this year, with a goal of reaching 600,000 by 2024, up from less than 100,000 shells produced annually before 2022, per CNN.
Nammo, a Scandinavian munitions manufacturer, plans to increase production to 80,000 rounds per year next year, up from "a few thousand" in 2021, according to the outlet.
However, it remains unclear how fast European weapon manufacturers can catch up with Russia's production rates.
According to a French parliamentary report, conventional 155mm shells could take up to 20 months to supply, escalating to 24 to 36 months for more advanced guided ones.
Despite efforts by Ukraine's Western allies to further isolate Russia, and slow down its production of missiles and other weaponry, the Kremlin has managed to mostly bypass sanctions, exploiting loopholes and importing US technology through neighboring states, online retailers, and a network of fake companies, as Insider previously reported.