Finland taps frozen Russian assets to arm Ukraine with ammo
Finland plans to supply Ukraine with ammunition using funds from frozen Russian assets. We present what and for how much Finland will give Ukraine.
Finland is among the countries implementing the European Union's actions aimed at providing Ukraine with weapons using funds from frozen Russian assets. Under an agreement with the European Commission, Finland will supply Ukraine with large-calibre ammunition, which will be purchased from Finnish suppliers. The agreement is valued at 76 million pounds, and the funds will be channelled through the European Peace Facility (EPF).
The Finnish Minister of Defence, Häkkänen, expressed satisfaction at securing additional financing to support Ukraine. He stated that they managed to negotiate additional funds to support Ukraine through Finland. The funds come from frozen Russian assets. The ammunition is sourced from the Finnish industry, bolstering employment in the country, and is then sent to Ukraine to enhance defensive capabilities.
This initiative is another example of Finland's assistance complementing the national programme worth 558 million pounds. Minister Häkkänen highlighted that this is an excellent demonstration of the Finnish defence industry's capabilities and proof that investments in ammunition production capabilities are proving worthwhile.
Very high-quality ammunition for post-Soviet systems
Due to its unique location and history, Finland utilises both Soviet and Western military equipment, for which it produces ammunition. In the 1980s and 1990s, Vammas Oy, now known as Nammo Lapua Oy, manufactured Soviet artillery ammunition with calibres of 122 mm, 130 mm, and 152 mm, alongside NATO-standard 155 mm ammunition.
Considering that Finland still operates 2S1 Gvozdika (PzH 74) howitzers, some of which have been sent to Ukraine, and other systems in these calibres, it is likely that the ammunition production lines remain active. For post-Soviet systems, they are most likely using basic shells with a range of 9 miles, containing about 2.5 kg of TNT, but possibly something more advanced, such as shells with rocket-assisted propulsion extending the range up to 14 miles.
However, it can be assumed that Finnish production is characterised by high precision manufacturing, which ensures better accuracy than Russian counterparts. For example, Finnish Lapua 7.62x53 mm R ammunition is significantly superior to the Russian sniper cartridges 7.62x54 mm R.
NATO-standard ammunition production and ambitious projects
In Finland, 155 mm shells are also produced, which Nammo manufactures in two versions. The first is a standard shell containing 9 kg of TNT, reaching a range of 15 miles for short-barrelled guns with a length of 39 calibres, such as FH-70 howitzers, and 19 miles for systems with a gun length of 52 calibres, such as Krab, K9 Thunder, or PzH 2000.
The second type is a shell with a gas generator, which increases the range to 19 miles for shorter guns and 25 miles for systems with a longer gun. It comes in two variants: the first contains 9 kg of TNT, and the second over 10 kg of explosive material MCX-6100, which enhances its destructive capabilities.
Simultaneously, Nammo is continuously working on developing long-range artillery shells, which may enter serial production in a few years. The most ambitious is the Ramjet 155 project with a ramjet engine aiming for a range of up to 93 miles, and slightly less ambitious is the shell with a conventional rocket booster known as HE-LR, expected to enable target engagement at distances of 43-53 miles.
