Germany, Ukraine Sign For Ammunition & Anti-aircraft Guns Production

With Russia prepping up for Air-fights with Ukraine, Germany comes in to rescue the eastern Europe country, signing a deal for new ammunition and self-propelled anti-aircraft guns.

Germany’s defence minister on Tuesday claimed to provide Ukraine to produce the ammunition at home after it had difficulties securing supplies from elsewhere.

According to reports, Germany has supplied 32 of the Gepard anti-aircraft guns from the 37 in total, agreed upon in late April. The supply came from unused stocks from 2012 held in reserve by the defence industry.

Amidst Russia’s repeated barrage of missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, securing more ammunition for the guns is a challenge, a matter of mounting defence concern for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Germany has proved unsuccessful in months of efforts to persuade neutral Switzerland’s approval for exports to Ukraine of stockpiles in the Alpine country of Gepard ammunition, manufactured by a subsidiary of German defence company Rheinmetall.

Despite stocked ammunition in Brazil, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva clarified, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, that his country wants no involvement of any kind in the war in Ukraine and wouldn't provide Germany with any.

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed contracts have been signed to produce new ammunition in Germany.

Boris stated own production of Gepard ammunition at Rheinmetall started without delay and expressed his happiness toward its success as it serves the security of independence and faster delivery.

The minister further stressed, the negotiations with Switzerland took time, and in the end, we were of the opinion that it is better to go our own way faster so as not to be dependent on them.