Slovakia’s defense minister is pushing for a major increase in ammunition production to boost the country’s economic growth. According to Bloomberg, while Fico’s government steadfastly refuses to arm Ukraine, some Slovak-made shells are ending up in the hands of the Ukraine’s military.
The central European country, which has close ties with Moscow, aims to increase its production of large caliber ammunition shells to 200,000 next year from the 125,000 expected this year, said Defense Minister of Slovakia Robert Kalinak, a close ally of Prime Minister Robert Fico. Because of the Slovakian government’s limited control over where the shells it sells end up, the buyers decide what to do with the ammunition they purchase, according to the minister.
Kalinak denied that the sale of Slovak-made shells to Ukraine either directly or through third parties contradicts the government’s position, which opposes military aid to Kyiv.