US Secretary 'shocked that Ukraine wants to receive 17 million artillery shells'

The US Defense Secretary was surprised when Ukrainian military commander Zaluzhny asked Washington for 17 million artillery shells, according to Kiev officials.

The Ukrainska Pravda newspaper revealed on December 4 that the Ukrainian military General Staff estimated that it would need $350-400 billion to achieve the goal of pushing Russian forces back to the border before the current conflict broke out.

Ideas and operational plans to achieve this goal were shared by military commander Valery Zaluzhny with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin when he visited Kiev in November.

"General Zaluzhny said that Ukraine would need 17 million artillery shells. Minister Austin was shocked, because the US cannot collect such ammunition on a global scale," a senior official in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed.

US and Ukrainian defense officials met in Kiev on November 20. Photo: Reuters — US and Ukrainian defense officials met in Kiev on November 20. Photo: *Reuters*

The source added that General Zaluzhny had complained to the US Secretary of Defense that the Ukrainian President's Office was constantly interfering and obstructing his work. "The president knew about such conversations and that does not build trust," the person said.

The US Department of Defense and the Ukrainian military have not commented on the information.

The US and its allies have delivered more than 2 million 155mm artillery shells to Ukraine since the outbreak of hostilities in February 2022. US media reported earlier this year that Ukraine was consuming artillery shells faster than the US and NATO member states could produce them, forcing the Pentagon to play a central role in increasing artillery production capacity.

Ukrainian soldiers fire at Russian military positions in the Zaporizhzhia region on August 19. Photo: Reuters — Ukrainian soldiers fire at Russian military positions in the Zaporizhzhia region on August 19. Photo: *Reuters*

US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan admitted in July that Washington's stockpile is short of 155mm artillery shells and it could take years to replenish the stockpile to acceptable levels.

Since February 2022, the Pentagon has spent $2.26 billion to increase the production capacity of 155mm artillery shells from 14,000 rounds per month to 20,000. This capacity is expected to soon reach 28,000 rounds per month, with the goal of producing a total of one million rounds by the fall of 2025.

Vu Anh (According to Ukrainska Pravda )

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