Ukrainian industrial group UkrOboronProm (UOP) has announced that it is ready for mass production artillery ammunition for a wide variety of missions at long ranges of engagement.

According to UOP’s statement, Ukraine held a ceremony on 9 August to mark the start of mass production of the new artillery ammunition, which was attended by Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko.

“I congratulate you on the fact that we have not just held trials that have shown the high quality of the work of these teams that are taking part today in our holiday. We are ready to organize the mass production of the most scarce ammunition in the near future,” the Head of State said at the opening of the production line for the manufacturing of large caliber artillery shells at “Artem” JSC.

Petro Poroshenko also noted that the first tests were conducted only in the first quarter of this year and now it is an issue of mass production. “I want to congratulate the Ukrainian people – the trials were successful,” he said.

The President also reminded that the issue of restoration and adjustment of production of such ammunition arose after Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and seizure of the factory in Luhansk by the invaders.

“Someone wanted to put Ukraine on its knees, because nobody sold us ammunition from abroad and the Luhansk plant was seized, equipment was taken to the Russian Federation or stolen. This is the attitude of the invaders,” the Head of State said.

“Ukraine, President, Government, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Economy, National Security and Defense Council faced the task of restoring the production of ammunition. And not only to restore, but also to make it more advanced, more precise, more effective, to increase the military capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” he stressed.

Petro Poroshenko congratulated everyone on the successful completion of this task. “I want to congratulate our workers in the defense industry, congratulate the army. When forming the military budget we included the necessary funds to secure the procurement and timely financing of the defense industry, which has never happened before,” the President underlined.

During the event, was unveiled family of ammunition for a wide variety of missions. Among artillery ammunition 152 and 155 mm were shown and unguided rockets, mortar shells, anti-tank laser-guided missile.