Excessive bureaucracy within Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense is significantly delaying the establishment and scaling up of NATO-caliber ammunition production, according to Vladyslav Belbas, CEO of Ukrainian Armor LLC.
Belbas raised these concerns during a recent appearance on the program “Military Summary of the Day.”
Belbas described the current contracting processes for artillery ammunition production as excessively slow, attributing the delays directly to bureaucratic inefficiencies within the Defense Ministry.
“Unfortunately, the bureaucratic system created there does not allow continuous development of production,” he noted.
He emphasized the necessity for long-term contracts and adequate funding mechanisms to facilitate private manufacturers’ ability to expand operations independently.
“Scaling production and securing long-term contracts is not merely a whim of producers; it’s essential because we see a shortage of weapons at the front line,” Belbas stated.
Belbas further noted that long-term financial arrangements would enable private companies like Ukrainian Armor to open new manufacturing facilities, boost production volumes, and develop advanced weapon systems without relying on direct state investments. He identified the mastering of NATO-caliber artillery ammunition production as Ukrainian Armor’s primary objective for 2025.
This issue echoes concerns recently highlighted by Armin Papperger, CEO of the German armament company Rheinmetall. In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Papperger diplomatically pointed out that Germany has streamlined its administrative processes, allowing quicker approval of new defense manufacturing facilities.
“We build factories faster in Germany than in Ukraine. Bureaucratic barriers in Germany have been almost completely removed,” Papperger stated. He cited rapid approvals granted within weeks for key projects in Germany, including Europe’s largest ammunition plant in Lower Saxony and factories producing components for the F-35 fighter jet. By contrast, similar processes in Ukraine have proven considerably slower.