Not just missiles: Russia is ramping up production of tanks, artillery, explosives, UAVs and aircraft - The Economist
Russia is replacing troops, tanks and ammunition "at an unprecedented pace". This year, its factories will produce 1,500 tanks, 3,000 armoured vehicles, and 250,000 shells per month.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by The Economist.
Production of tanks and artillery
The Omsk Tank Plant came to the attention of The Economist. It is one of the largest in Russia and is engaged in the modernisation of old T-80 tanks around the clock.
It was possible to establish that the level of activity at this facility increased slightly before 24 February 2022, and then decreased.
After the full-scale invasion, activity at the plant began to increase sharply. It has been particularly high since mid-2023.
Another of Russia's largest tank plants, "Uralvagonzavod", saw a significant increase in activity in 2024 compared to 2023.
The same "boom" in activity was recorded at the Arzamas plant, "Kurganmashzavod" and "Motovilikha", which produce armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.
The Economist also noticed an increase in activity at Yekaterinburg Factory No. 9, which produces barrels for howitzers and tanks, as well as the nearby "Novator" production facility, which manufactures "Iskander" ballistic missiles.
The situation is the same with the Volgograd-based "Titan-Barrikady" plant, which builds "Iskander" launchers, and the NPO "Splav" in Tula, which develops "Grad", "Uragan" and "Smerch" missiles.
Production of explosives and drones in Russia
Currently, Russia produces at least 3 million shells a year. The Sverdlovsk plant in Dzerzhinsk is the largest producer. In particular, it produces chemicals for artillery shells and GABs. The volume of products manufactured at this facility has increased significantly over the past few months.
According to Julian Cooper, an expert from the University of Birmingham, the "Selmash" plant in Kirov has also scaled up its production of ammunition casings.
Production at the "Alabuga" plant in Tatarstan has also seen a significant increase. They manufacture drones there.
Activity was also recorded at the neighbouring Begishevo airport.
Other facilities where activity has increased
The publication has also analysed activity in the city of Biysk. There is an oleum plant there that is used for the production of explosives.
There is also a noticeable increase in the average daily traffic between residential areas and areas with chemical plants. In 2023, it was 19%. The time spent by workers (2nd and 3rd shifts) in one place has also increased by 32%.
Analysts also turned to the Strava app. It showed new clusters of running and cycling in areas near those plants, a sign that new workers had arrived in the area. In addition, housing rental costs grew by 21% a year.
Earlier, The Economist reported that Russia is producing ammunition at an extraordinary rate - more than 1,400 "Iskander" ballistic missiles a year, as well as 500 Kh-101 cruise missiles.
