Ukraine is massively increasing its weapons production to fight back against Russia.

Ukraine needs every advantage to repel Russia from its territory, and one such factor is the small but fast-growing Ukrainian defense industry, into which the government is pouring money.

These efforts have grown dramatically over the past year. The Ukrainian government has allocated nearly $1.4B in 2024 for arms procurement and development, 20 times more than before the full-scale invasion.

Another important shift is that most weapons are now purchased from private factories (about 80% of the defense industry is in private hands). For example, a private mortar plant, which started operating in western Ukraine last year, produces about 20,000 shells per month. The owner of the plant plans to increase production to 100,000 shells per month, as well as develop engines and explosives.

However, Ukraine’s defense sector is held back by a lack of money, human resources, and too much bureaucratic red tape in the government. Analysts say a stronger private sector could help eliminate inefficiencies and allow factories to produce weapons and ammunition even faster.