Ukrainian troop face challenges with faulted munitions
Date
11/30/2024 1:01:24 PM
(MENAFN) Ukrainian authorities have launched an investigation after frontline troops reported receiving a shipment of defective 120 mm mortar shells. The issue was first highlighted by Yury Butusov, editor-in-chief of Censor.net, who revealed this month that soldiers from various units had complained that many of the shells either failed to detonate or could not travel more than 50 meters. Some shells reportedly became lodged in mortar tubes. Butusov shared a video showing a soldier attempting to fire one of the malfunctioning rounds.
According to Butusov, soldiers suspect the problem is linked to the poor quality of TNT used in the shells, which were manufactured in Ukraine. He described the situation as a serious systemic issue. Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuglaya raised the alarm on Tuesday, claiming the Ministry of Defense had sent 100,000 defective shells to the front line and criticized Defense Minister Rustem Umerov for focusing on "PR stunts" instead of addressing the problem.
Another member of parliament, Aleksey Goncharenko, shared further footage of soldiers handling the faulty shells, calling it “a crime against the state” and demanding an immediate investigation. Fyodor Venislavsky, a member of the parliamentary security committee, stated that authorities had identified the cause of the malfunction, attributing it to temperature fluctuations and high humidity. He confirmed the defective shells had been recalled, although he did not disclose the exact number.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense issued a statement on Tuesday, indicating that the preliminary investigation pointed to either low-quality powder charges or improper storage conditions as the causes of the malfunctions. Due to the sensitivity of the information amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, the Ministry stated that full details would not be made public.
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