Russia-Ukraine War: Vladimir Putin Takes Drastic Move To Increase Weapon Production

Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed his administration to slash bureaucracy to produce adequate supplies and weapons for his soldiers in Ukraine, who are overwhelmed by the Ukrainian military campaign.

Putin established a framework to address the severe supply shortages that have plagued the Russian military throughout the eight-month Russia-Ukraine war, Al Jazeera reported.

Putin emphasized the need to "gain higher tempo" in all sectors as he presided over a new committee on Tuesday to speed up the manufacturing and supply of Russian weapons and supplies for the Russian military.

Many of those mobilized to fight in Ukraine, which the Russian president estimated to be 222,000 out of a target of 300,000, have reportedly not received enough basic supplies like medical kits and flak jackets and have figured out things on their own, according to Russian news sources.

Other reports say that Russian troops are using outdated weapons prone to malfunctioning and that new troops, with little training, have been deployed to the battlefield.

According to the UK's Ministry of Defense, Russia is likely to utilize a large number of drones to try to overcome Ukrainian air defenses to compensate for the insufficient supply of long-range precision weapons.

According to a report released by the ministry on Tuesday, the Russian military's "artillery ammunition is running low."

Despite the situation, the Russian army still managed to destroy homes, public buildings, and Ukraine's electrical grid despite supply problems and has caused numerous deaths in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The World Bank currently assesses the damage in Ukraine at $348 billion.

Low Weapons Supply Across Europe Threatens Military Aid for Ukraine

Russian weapons shortage problem comes in light of reports on the low supply of weapons across Europe, which may affect military assistance for Ukraine.

Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur of Estonia, a Baltic republic sharing a 183-mile (295-kilometer) border with Russia, said that the inventory problem comes up "all the time," especially among smaller NATO nations.

Even while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin encouraged members of the Western alliance at a recent NATO meeting in Brussels "to dig deep" and deliver more capabilities to Ukraine, this burden remains heavy for them.

The Associated Press reports that several European leaders have made public statements reiterating that Russia must be prevented from gaining control in Ukraine.

However, they emphasized that everyone feels the burden of home defense.

Pevkur claimed Putin could command Russian weapons companies to produce 24 hours a day. Hence, Russia will regain its capabilities eventually.

Similar difficulties are experienced by other small states, such as Lithuania, also located in the Baltic region.

Several of the major NATO countries, which include Germany, also indicate a low supply of weaponry.

Low levels of stocks across the continent can be attributed to a decline in defense spending following the end of the Cold War in several European countries.

White House Calls Russia's Nuclear Threat a "Huge Mistake"

In another related update, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the possibility of Moscow using nuclear weapons in the Russia-Ukraine war a "huge mistake."

"It would be a major mistake for Russia to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine leading to severe consequences," Jean-Pierre said at the daily media briefing, as reported by CNBC.

The comment was made in response to a query concerning the feasibility of a dirty bomb being used by the army of Vladimir Putin.

Russia claims Ukraine plans to use a "dirty bomb" within Ukrainian territory.

The Biden administration official said Russia's claim must be taken seriously "because in the past, we have seen Russia use allegations as a pretext to escalate."