Military aid for Ukraine sees Eastern Europe weapon boom

Former US Army chief exposes ‘three things’ Putin needs to do in Ukraine war

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The arms industry in Eastern Europe has boomed since arms companies launched production to aid Ukraine, it has emerged. The weapons manufacturers in Eastern Europe are producing guns, artillery shells and other military supplies.

The speed at which the weaponry is being produced has not been seen since the Cold War.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, allies of Kyiv have focused on sending military equipment to aid its war against Russia.

The support of Ukraine has even seen nations diminish their own stocks of weapons.

The United Kingdom is one of the leading nations in sending Ukraine direct military aid alongside the USA.

The UK and the United States committed the most aid between January 24 and October 3, according to a Kiel Institute for the World Economy tracker.

Other nations in the Eastern regions of Europe are under considerable pressure when it comes to supporting Ukraine.

If former Warsaw Pact nations are seen supporting the invaded country, their national security may be at risk.

However, the nations also seek to demonstrate a strong stance against Russia as Europe and the world defiantly stand against Putin.

According to analysts and government officials, the conflict has opened up new opportunities for the arms industry in eastern Europe.

CEO of Poland’s PGZ (Polish Armaments Group), Sebastian Chwalek said: “Taking into account the realities of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the visible attitude of many countries aimed at increased spending in the field of defence budgets, there is a real chance to enter new markets and increase export revenues in the coming years.”

The Polish company is state-owned and controls over 50 companies which manufacture weapons and ammunition, including unmanned air systems and armoured transporters.

As a result of new opportunities, PGZ has now doubled its investment plans from what they were before the war.

The company now plans to invest up to 8 billion zlotys (£1.4 billion) over the next 10 years.

According to Mr Chwalek, the investments include new facilities which will be placed further away from the Belarusian border due to security issues as the nation has emerged as a strong ally of Russia.

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Firms and government officials from Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic have also noted that other weapons producers are increasing their capacity and are desperate to recruit workers.

At the beginning of the conflict, Ukraine had to wait for NATO-approved military equipment from the West, so Eastern European militaries and producers sent their Soviet-era weaponry and ammunition.

Now as demand is high and the former stocks have diminished, the manufacturers produce both old and modern military equipment which has enabled Ukraine to keep a steady supply of weapons to push back Russia.

Russia have suffered public embarrassments as troops have complained on social media of being given broken and old guns, while the military suffers shortages leading to some troops having to dig trenches with their hands.

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