Shoigu scolded the management of the arms plant. “Stop fooling around”
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited the factory where artillery systems are produced. He lambasted its management for its “insufficient” production rate.
According to the latest estimates of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, since February 24, 2022, Russia has lost approximately 385,000 on the Dnieper. soldiers. This number includes those killed, wounded and captured.
Russia has put its economy into war mode
The scale of equipment losses is equally staggering. Russia lost, for example, approximately 6,300 tanks, approximately 11,700 armored personnel carriers, approximately 9,200 artillery systems, approximately 330 aircraft and approximately 320 helicopters.
Western analysts warn that despite this – and the sanctions imposed by the West – Russia is consistently rebuilding its offensive capabilities.
Arms factories in this country work around the clock. The commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces, General Eirik Kristoffersen, warned that Russia was accumulating weapons stockpiles “much faster than expected.”
– We have a period that may last one, two, maybe three years (…). Russia has significantly increased production. It has also cooperated with countries such as Iran and North Korea, which means (…) a faster expansion of Russian defense than we predicted last year. So we must use this time well to strengthen our defense, said General Kristoffersen at the end of January.
Shoigu called for an end to “antics”
However, Reuters reports that the head of the Russian Ministry of Defense, General Sergei Shoigu, is not satisfied with the pace of production of artillery systems. On Tuesday, January 30, Shoigu visited one of the factories and scolded its management.
– Listen, guys, stop being silly. We addressed this in 2022. In 2023, we should have had these machines running at full speed. I would like to receive a specific proposal within a week on how we will achieve the indicators set by the president. This must be done because all these orders are related to the implementation of very specific actions on the battlefield, Szojgu thundered.
The plant’s director defended himself by saying that the production level had already increased sixfold over the last two years. This corresponds to the recent statement of the deputy head of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, Alexei Krivoruchko.
Krivoruchko said in an interview with the Russian news agency “Interfax” that this year the industry will provide the army with “several times” more equipment than it delivered in total in 2022 and 2023.
