German stocks may have only 20,000 artillery shells left

The German army has only about 20,000 high-explosive artillery shells left after months of arms aid to Ukraine, according to newly revealed secret documents.

German newspaper Der Spiegel on June 19 cited secret documents from the Ministry of Defense , which showed the country's serious shortage of ammunition.

The documents were drafted by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius to convince the German parliament's budget committee to approve plans to buy large quantities of ammunition for artillery and tanks to fill a gap in reserves after aid efforts to Ukraine.

Production line of 155 mm artillery shells at Rheinmetall's factory in Germany on June 6. Photo: Reuters

According to documents, Germany's current stockpile of only about 20,000 high-explosive artillery shells remains. Meanwhile, according to NATO regulations, by 2031, Germany needs to stockpile at least 230,000 artillery shells to ensure enough supplies for 30 days of high-intensity combat.

German officials have not commented on the information.

Data updated on June 15 on the German Defense Ministry's website shows that the country has provided a large amount of weapons to Ukraine, including 14 Pzh 2000 self-propelled artillery systems and 23,500 155 mm artillery shells, including both conventional and guided versions.

Germany and many other European countries are running out of ammunition as they try to support Ukraine after more than 15 months of fighting. Representatives of defense companies and members of the German parliament warned in October 2022 that the country's military only has enough ammunition for two days of intense fighting.

Vu Anh (According to Spiegel, Reuters )

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