US ramps up weapons production ahead of Ukraine counteroffensive | DW News

Russian forces have launched a rare daytime aerial assault on Kyiv. Ukraine's military said it shot down all the missiles fired at the city, with reports of injuries and fires from falling debris.

The city's residents raced for shelter as explosions were heard in Kyiv's central districts. It's the latest in a series of attacks on Kyiv and other parts of the country in recent days. Officials in western Ukraine say a military facility there was hit. At least one person was killed and several injured. The increasing bombardment comes amid speculation that a Ukrainian campaign to reclaim occupied territory will begin soon.

For months Ukraine has been calling for more ammunition, as it struggles to retake land occupied by Russian forces.

Officials say they need 350,000 shells a month. High in demand is the 155-mm shell. Weighing around 45 kilograms with a range of around 30 kilometers, it’s small enough to travel far distances. But big enough to incur a lot of damage.

The European Union says it’s on course to provide a million shells this year, drawn from existing stocks and new orders. So far the US has sent 1.5 million rounds.

And the US Army is ramping up production from 14,000 rounds a month before the war began to 85,000 by 2028.

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