Photo: Global Look Press
Basic unpreparedness of the West led to a frenzied race to provide Ukraine with ammunition and weapons while replenishing NATO stockpiles. This is due to the intensity of the use of artillery in Ukraine, unprecedented since the Second World War. The New York Times writes about it.
According to the publication, during the war in Afghanistan, NATO soldiers used about three hundred grenades a day and did not have to worry about air defense. In Ukraine, the situation is different. According to Camille Grand, who until recently was NATO's Under-Secretary-General for Defense Investments, IEDs fired six to seven thousand artillery rounds a day during the summer. By comparison, the United States produces only 15,000 grenades per month. “In addition, the day of using artillery in Ukraine is a month or more in Afghanistan,” Grand summed up.
Due to recent developments, NATO countries are setting new targets for military spending. Up to 2 percent of GDP is planned to be spent for these purposes by 2024. In addition, 20% of them will be spent on rearmament.