Ukraine recalls 100,000 faulty 120mm artillery shells, exposing significant quality control issues within its defense industry.
At a Glance
- Ukraine’s defense ministry issued a recall for 120mm artillery shells due to defects.
- About 100,000 units of the domestically produced shells were affected.
- The shells showed malfunctions, with some failing to explode or getting stuck.
- An investigation has begun to identify potential quality control failures.
Defective Artillery Shells Trigger Recall
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has launched a formal recall for approximately 100,000 120mm artillery shells. These were domestically manufactured by Ukroboronprom, the country’s state-operated ammunition producer. The recall follows alarming reports of failures, including abnormal activation—or failure to detonate entirely—and complaints from soldiers about rounds sticking within mortar barrels due to wet powder charges.
The defense ministry discovered these defects posed a significant risk to defense capabilities, prompting immediate action. Only one in ten shells performed reliably according to benchmarks. To rectify the situation and maintain readiness, plans are underway to replace the defective stock with alternatives sourced from foreign suppliers. Concurrently, an inquiry has been initiated to determine underlying causes, which might involve “low-quality powder charges or violations of the storage conditions of ammunition.” – Ukraine’s defense ministry
Impact on Ukraine’s Defense Capabilities
The scale of this recall brings into question Ukraine’s current defense manufacturing and procurement capabilities. The recent focus was on ramping up domestic production of artillery rounds to counter previous shortages, making this development particularly concerning. President Zelenskyy previously announced ambitions to produce 2.5 million artillery shells and mortar rounds in 2024. Therefore, the recall of this batch symbolizes both a logistical setback and a call for rigorous production oversight and strategic recalibration.
“In dry weather, these mines did not produce any failures” – Fedir Venislavskyi
Weather conditions, like cold temperatures and humidity, potentially exacerbated the malfunctions. The defective shells involved a single batch, with Ukroboronprom reportedly partnering with an anonymous NATO country to help manufacture them. However, whether these defective shells were a result of this collaboration remains uncertain.
#Ukraine: Well, something extraordinary happened- the remains of M39 missiles (Made in 1996 and 1997) of the MGM-140A ATACMS Block I system used by Ukrainian forces against Berdyansk AB.
This variant has a range of ~165km, inertial guidance, and carries 950 M74 submunitions. pic.twitter.com/AJQPC1WM2Q
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) October 17, 2023
Investigations and the Road Ahead
A formal criminal investigation is underway, yet details regarding its progress remain undisclosed due to the sensitive nature of military information. Local media have described the situation as a “scandal,” citing frustrations with such “low-quality goods” and affirming the need for stricter quality oversight in the defense sector. Moving forward, Ukraine’s commitment to improving quality controls will be pivotal in averting further mishaps.
The need to swiftly assure operational integrity while upholding the safety of their personnel assumes paramount importance for Ukrainian defense officials. The ongoing inquiry could potentially spearhead reforms in manufacturing practices, avoiding future discrepancies within Ukraine’s defense infrastructure.
Sources
1. Ukraine’s Armed Forces Recall Thousands of Dud Mortars
