Minister of Strategic Industries German Smetanin Photo: Press service of the Ministry of Strategic Industries
The Ministry of Strategic Industries has seized 30,000 mines that did not meet critical requirements for ammunition and significantly tightened production standards. This was announced by the Minister of Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin on Monday, 13 January, Suspilne reports.
Problems with defective mines
Among the main defects of the recovered mines were:
- Themismatch in the diameter of the ammunition, which made it impossible for them to work effectively, as the powder gases did not provide the required pressure.
- Parts of the structure flying off during use.
- Poor quality gunpowder that did not explode with the required force.
Smetanin noted that manufacturers now carry out a 100% inspection of the external geometric parameters of mines to ensure calibre compliance.
Innovations in production
A number of changes were implemented to address the shortcomings:
- Sealed powder packaging that can withstand up to 10 hours in water.
- The new packaging allows the ammunition to be stored in warehouses for up to 10 years, and after opening it, it can be stored outdoors for up to 12 hours due to additional varnishing.
- The mines are manufactured with updated fuzes and main charges.
“Manufacturers replace all defective mines at their own expense. The powder from the seized batch will be dried and reused,” Smetanin explained.
Production achievements and plans
Last year, about half of the mines used at the frontline were manufactured in Ukraine. Currently, more than 32,000 mines have been supplied on a regular basis. The plan is to reach the maximum possible volume of ammunition production in 2025.
The Ukrainian military continues to use Ukrainian-made mortar shells, including those that have been corrected after inspection.
