South Africa blocks artillery shell delivery to Poland due to fear of them being transferred to Ukraine, media says

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South Africa did not transfer artillery shells to Poland due to concerns that they would be sent to Ukraine, Polish media outlet Rzeczpospolita reported on Aug. 21.

Following the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Warsaw ordered 50,000 155-millimeter shells from the South African company Denel Munition, a subsidiary of the German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, in which it holds a 51% stake.

But Poland never received them, as its contractor blocked ammunition shipments, according to the media outlet.

The Polish Defense Ministry, in response to a request from Rzeczpospolita, said that the agreement was terminated on Aug. 20, 2023, due to "problems with the subcontractor's execution."

Poland requires at least one million 155mm artillery rounds to defend against a potential Russian attack. Meanwhile, Warsaw can produce only 30,000 shells a year if subcontractors, mainly from Slovakia, meet their obligations in full, the media outlet said.

In March 2023, the Polish government approved a confidential resolution to expand the production and purchase of ammunition.

Warsaw has also established supplies of artillery shells from South Korea and is considering building a factory to boost domestic production, according to Rzeczpospolita.

Ukraine also partners with Rheinmetall, one of the leading German arms manufacturers.

In late July, Rheinmetall announced that it had received an order from the Ukrainian government to begin the construction of an ammunition factory in Ukraine.

The company previously said it planned to open at least four production plants in Ukraine.