As the Russian war stepped into day 52, a factory in Kyrgyzstan on Friday clarified that it did not receive orders to manufacture 300 million cartridges for Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Speaking to Sputnik, the State Property head of Bishkek Stamping Plant (BSHZ), Mirlan Bakirov, denied any information about the alleged consignment. This comes after media reports emerged claiming that a Polish company accepted a large delivery from Turkey at the request of a Polish company, Sputnik reported.
The report also claimed that the containerload was allegedly planned to be sent to Ukraine in order to bolster its defence against the ravaging Russian attack. Meanwhile, as the Russian onslaught escalated, support in all forms has been pouring from Western countries, including the ammunition industry.
US-based ammo manufacturers deliver 2mn rounds to Ukraine
At least 2 major American ammunition producers pledged support to Kyiv. In a bid to meet Ukraine’s ammo needs, both the manufacturers jointly decided to deliver 2 million rounds to Ukraine Armed Forces. The offer was made after Richard Childress, Board member of AMMO Inc. was moved by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s appeal to US President Joe Biden to provide sufficient defence weapons instead of offering runaway options. “I was listening to the other day to President Zelenskyy say he didn’t want out, he needed ammunition,” Childress said in the interview. “I called my good friend Fred Wagenhals […], and I said, ‘Fred, we have to help these people. They need ammunition.’ And he stepped right up,” Childress told in an interview with Fox News.
The famous video also prompted ammo giants Federal, Remington, CCI, and Speer to make a collective donation of 1 million rounds to Ukraine’s forces. “We have long supported Ukrainian armed forces, and we will continue to do so in this global cause to unite for democracy,” said Jason Vanderbrink, president of the four ammo companies, in the release.
Another ammo company Vista had also informed Free Range Eagle that they are working on specific small-caliber products “to ensure supply items” reach Ukraine whenever needed. AMMO along with Wagenhals was set to ship 7.62x39mm cartridges worth $700,000. The company has continued to work with US officials to keep supply lines open and to ensure additional donations of cartridges in the future.
UN says over 1,900 civilians killed, 2,600 injured in Russian invasion
Since the launch of the Russian military offensive in Ukraine, as many as 1,982 civilians have been killed, and 2,651 others have been injured, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) noted. However, casualties of war are feared to be higher as information from some locations is yet to be received and some reports are still “pending corroboration.”
According to OHCHR, an estimated 511 men, 323 women, 56 boys, and 34 girls as well as 72 children have been killed since the war broke out in Ukraine.
“Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and airstrikes,” UN OHCHR said in its statement.
