Substandard mines for AFU: Media and NGO call on government to reform ammunition quality control policy
The Cabinet of Ministers is being called upon to reform the ammunition quality control policy and to publicly report on the results of the investigation into the supply of low-quality mines to the Armed Forces.
According to Censor.NET, the appeal was published by representatives of the media and public organizations.
In recent weeks, the media have reported on problems with 120-mm and 82-mm domestically produced mines.
Among the key problems are gunpowder and poor quality of the fuze, which results in the inability to use them effectively during hostilities and a threat to the lives of the military.
"All of this points to a complex problem both in the production of domestic ammunition and in the quality control system, which is authorized to be carried out by representatives of the Main Department of Technical Evaluation and Quality Control of Arms and Military Equipment of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
In connection with the identified problems, we demand that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Ministry of Strategic Industries, law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies conduct a proper inspection of the contracted enterprise and military representative office, which assess its production capabilities and the quality of its products, which may be based on corruption actions and deliberate undermining of the country's defense capabilities during a full-scale war with the enemy," the appeal says.
According to the authors, the inspection should involve representatives of state institutions that exercise democratic civilian control over the security and defense forces, as well as members of the public who are actively involved in advocating for the provision of weapons to Ukraine by international partners.
"We also call on the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to initiate a comprehensive reform of the institution of military missions of the Ministry of Defense, to bring the quality control policies for weapons and military equipment and the requirements for the technological process of manufacturing domestic ammunition in line with NATO quality standards," they added.
Defective mines were supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine
On November 6, 2024, it was reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine received a substandard batch of 120 mm mines manufactured by Ukroboronprom.
On November 20, a video of mines manufactured by Ukroboronprom malfunctioning was released.
The Ministry of Defense said it was investigating the situation.
Also, journalist Yuliia Kyrienko-Merinova said that after the situation with the substandard 120mm mortar shells was publicised, a batch of 82mm mortar rounds, which also turned out to be defective, was withdrawn from the frontline.
