Due to poor planning, Defense Ministry spent UAH 50 billion on shells but army still faces shortage – Butusov
For the effective conduct of combat operations, the state should properly plan and analyze manufacturers’ capabilities during defense procurement.
This was stated in his video by Yurii Butusov, platoon commander of unmanned systems of the Khartiia Brigade, Censor.NET reports.
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He emphasized that artillery remains an equally important and indispensable asset on the battlefield.
"We have a shortage of artillery shells, no matter what anyone says. We lack guns, especially 155 mm. We had a disgraceful situation when in 2024 the Pavlohrad Chemical Plant received an order worth UAH 50 billion to organize production of many types of shells," Butusov said.
The commander stressed that there are no questions regarding the plant’s workers, but they did not have the competence, technological lines, powders, components, or fuzes in the required quantities.
"And they did not perform a miracle. As a result, the state poured huge amounts of money in and did not receive the ammunition it wanted. And the money was tied up for a year. We simply lost this time collecting pennies for weapons. The money went into the void," he said.
Butusov recalled that the director of the Pavlohrad plant and several executives had been detained and criminal proceedings had been opened against them.
He emphasized that the market needs to be studied and that it is necessary to see which powders and fuzes are available. Orders should be calculated.
To wage war with shells and drones rather than people, it is necessary to properly plan, analyze manufacturers’ capabilities and competencies, and assess whether enterprises are able to produce such weapons, the commander said.
"But Mr. Umerov (then defense minister) did not do this. Orders worth more than a billion dollars were handed to the Ministry of Strategic Industries and the Defense Ministry for something that was not produced. We lost a year of such money that could have been used to purchase drones, shells, explosives, anything," Butusov said.
He noted that the statements of the new defense minister, Fedorov, are based on analysis. The minister has been at the front and visited commanders of the best units, corps, regiments, and brigades. Therefore, Butusov hopes for systemic decisions in the near future.
"In addition to an audit of losses, there must be an audit of failed managerial and political decisions that have severely damaged our defense and continue to damage it now," Butusov concluded.
