Berlin intends to order 200,000 more artillery shells from the arms manufacturer Rheinmetall than originally planned, Reuters reported on June 4, citing an official letter it had obtained.
The newly supplied shells should help to replenish German stocks as Berlin continues to assist Kyiv in defending itself against Russia's ongoing war.
The German military aims to acquire 200,000 additional 155 mm artillery shells worth about 880 million euros ($960 million) under the agreement with Rheinmetall, the letter from the German Defense Ministry to parliament's budget committee read.
The deal had already been worth 1.2 billion euros (around $1.3 billion) and included a hundred thousand shells, fuses, and charges.
By placing the order, the German Defense Ministry also wants to ensure that Rheinmetall can launch a new production line in the town of Unterluess in the central part of the country, Reuters said.
Since the all-out war in Ukraine started in February 2022, the value of Rheinmetall has more than quadrupled due to the growing number of orders from Kyiv's Western partners, according to the news agency.
Previously, the company said it would also build an artillery factory in Ukraine, along with facilities dedicated to the production of military vehicles, gunpowder, and anti-aircraft weapons.
During the Munich Security Conference in February, Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger signed a memorandum of intent with Ukraine's Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin to produce artillery shells in another joint plant based in Ukraine.
Kateryna Hodunova
