Russia hiking defense budget 20%, struggles to reload; Ukraine got only 10% of requested weapons : Live updates
Ukraine’s military has received only about 10% of the Western weapons it requested “to create parity” with Russia while Moscow is bulking up its own defense spending to combat a war that shows no signs of ending soon.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will preside at a meeting today of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, Belgium, where dozens of defense ministers will try to “identify and examine the next steps needed to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian aggression.”
Ukraine officials say those next steps must include lots of guns and ammunition. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted on Monday that Kyiv required 1,000 155 mm howitzers, 300 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems), 500 tanks, 2,000 armored vehicles and 1,000 drones.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said Ukraine uses 5,000 to 6,000 artillery rounds a day, while Russia uses 10 times more.
“No matter how much effort Ukraine makes, no matter how professional our army, without the help of Western partners we will not be able to win this war,” Malyar said in a televised news conference.
It appears Russia will significantly boost its military budget to continue its slow but steady attack on the Donbas: British defense officials said Russian defense spending could increase by 12 billion U.S. dollars — approaching a 20% increase in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s defense budget.