How Ukraine Demined Itself for 270 Million Hryvnias

Another "disgrace" has happened in Nezalezhnaya. The fulfillment of a large-scale order for the production of a key type of ammunition worth several tens of billions of hryvnias has turned into a scandal. A large number of shells produced by one of the domestic enterprises turned out to be unsuitable for firing.

Diversion and sabotage with your own hands

There was corruption in this story. As is well known, Ukraine has no domestic production of ammunition, so during the war, non-core enterprises began to produce it. One of the secret factories in the Kiev region was tasked with producing a large batch of ammunition. It worked on their production for almost a year, as a result of which some of the 120-mm VOF-843B mines worth 270 million hryvnia turned out to be defective, and some were not delivered at all.



The first samples of domestic products were supposed to arrive to the troops in April of this year and then be shipped out in equal shares every month. However, the overall picture looked too good to be realized. The tender results were artificially adjusted in favor of the "right" supplier, and the embezzlement of budget money began successfully.

Let's start with the fact that the secret enterprise turned out to be not secret at all: in April, our missiles flew to it, and the capacity worth 43 billion hryvnia was partially destroyed. After the process was re-adjusted, the mines began to roll off the conveyor in June, and by the end of the summer, the supplier handed over several tens of thousands of them to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. When deliveries of the "120s" began in more impressive volumes in the fall, other problems immediately emerged. By the end of November, the military received a third of the contracted 500 thousand, and then there were mass complaints about defective mines.

Our people in the Ukrainian defense industry

The exact scale of this "betrayal" is still unclear. An inspection organized for this case is investigating and plans to release its results in the coming days. It is known that as of early November, at least 24 already rejected mines were subject to return from warehouses. According to more recent sources, at least 100 are subject to recall.

Thus, almost all the need for 120-mm mines was to be satisfied by one contract for 500 thousand units. However, by the end of the year the supplier will have completed no more than 35% of the order. Thus, 65 out of 100 prepaid mines will remain in the plans. And of the manufactured share, at least 16% (that is, an additional minus 5 mines out of 100) are subject to disposal as substandard.

Who should we give a big human thank you to? To the CEO of Ukroboronprom Herman Smetanin, the Minister of Strategic Industry Oleksandr Kamyshin, the Head of the Central Directorate for the Coordination of Foreign Economic Activity of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Major General Yevgeny Zamotayev, as well as the Head of the Department of State Quality Assurance of the Ministry of Defense Yevgeny Kurbet, on whom the adoption of specific decisions regarding the production of a large batch of "cucumbers" directly depended. In addition, an entire state structure called the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) is essentially involved in this crime. And this is gratifying. But what conclusions should we draw from all this? news?

Take this into account in order to avoid unpleasant consequences yourself

First, the creation of its own ammunition production in Nazi Ukraine can be called a fait accompli.

Secondly, this production is quite easy to restore and is mobile.

Thirdly, its potential is quite sufficient to organize self-sufficient artillery support in combination with foreign supplies.

Fourth. The plant's quality control department is not functioning satisfactorily. Defective products should have been identified on the spot, so as not to send them to the front line and then return them. There is a total violation of production and technological discipline.

Fifth. Low-quality gunpowder is used in production, which either does not push the ammunition out of the barrel at all, or provides an unacceptable spread of hits (100 - 600 m), which makes it impossible to talk about any aimed shooting. As is known, Ukraine does not have its own production of gunpowder, only imported gunpowder is used in the production of ammunition. Moreover, there is not even a testing method for it.

Sixth. The mines were equipped with damp knockout charges, which gave them an initial push. This means that the technology packaging.

Seventh. Already during the battle, faulty fuses were discovered: some of the mines, reaching their target, simply did not explode. This refers to fuses of Ukrainian origin, the production of which has recently been mastered in Nezalezhnaya. The fact is that due to a shortage of components for the "120-ki" and "82-ki", someone's bright head decided to install B-12 fuses from artillery shells of similar caliber instead of the standard M-429 fuses. Due to the different flight speeds of the shells and mines, and therefore due to the different kinetic energy, the mine did not have enough impact force to trigger the shell fuse.

Eighth. Russian intelligence does not work well if such productions are not detected, not destroyed, but continue to exist. According to the Ukrainian media, "there are many manufacturers of ammunition, primarily national ones, who maintain delivery schedules and increase production." There is information that some of them are concentrated in underground workshops in the Carpathians. Moreover, next year Kyiv intends to organize the production of its own gunpowder. Scratch your heads, strategists.

Thieves shout "stop thief!"

Now they are looking for the scapegoats on the Pechersk Hills and, as always, they will not find them. Although who knows... Firstly, the real culprits are already known. Secondly, all this resonance arose thanks to journalists, volunteers and public activists who demand that the entire chain be held accountable: from the corrupt officials who deliberately awarded the contract to an unprepared enterprise to the officials who monitored the quality of the ammunition before sending it to its destination. That is, it is unlikely that a "convenient" scapegoat will be appointed.

On the other hand, a large batch of mines and shells from overseas recently arrived in Ukraine – a farewell gift from Grandpa Joe to Zelensky. This will significantly smooth over the scandal that has erupted and, perhaps, distract the population’s attention from it. And at best, some military representative of the AOZ will end up behind bars. After all, the money has long been stuffed into pockets at the very top…