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Russia to Reportedly Expand Explosive Output by 6,000 Tons to Fuel Shell Production

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Amira Barkhush
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Russia to Reportedly Expand Explosive Output by 6,000 Tons to Fuel Shell Production
122mm artillery shells are seen as Ukrainian soldiers await orders to fire from a 2S1, a self-propelled howitzer equipped with a 122mm gun based on the towed D-30 howitzer, on September 26, 2024, in Chasiv Yar, Ukraine. (Source: Getty Images)

Russia is reportedly aiming to increase its explosive production capacity by 6,000 tons annually. Should this goal be achieved, it would enable the country to boost its shell production by 1.2 million units each year.

This was reported by Defense Express on May 9.

According to the agency, such figures raise the question of whether Russia will eventually be able to operate without ammunition supplies from North Korea or, at the very least, reduce their strategic impact.

Furthermore, a critical issue arises regarding potential countermeasures to these ambitions. Given the vast expanse of Russia’s territory, it remains uncertain whether Ukraine’s long-range drones will be able to target all of Russia’s production facilities, the outlet added.

A recent investigation cited by Reuters has shed light on Russia’s efforts to significantly ramp up its domestic explosives production. According to procurement documents reviewed by the agency, Moscow plans to expand its explosive manufacturing capacity by 6,000 tons annually between 2023 and 2025.

This expansion is centered on the Biysk Oleum Plant, which operates under the state-owned Sverdlov Plant, one of Russia’s key defense industry enterprises. However, the documents do not clarify which specific type of explosive will be produced, whether it will be HMX (octogen) or RDX (hexogen), both of which are powerful compounds used in military-grade munitions.

Defense Express adds that the Biysk Oleum Plant, located some 3,000 kilometers from the Russia–Ukraine border, is far beyond the reach of Ukraine’s long-range drones, even with the most ambitious strike capabilities.

The Sverdlov plant, Dzerzhinsk, Russia. (Source: Defense Express/Google Earth)
The Sverdlov plant, Dzerzhinsk, Russia. (Source: Defense Express/Google Earth)

Alongside documentary evidence, recent visual materials confirm that Russia is steadily progressing toward its goal of boosting annual explosives output by an additional 6,000 tons. If achieved, this would allow Moscow, starting as early as 2026, to scale up its production of artillery shells and other types of munitions.

As the outlet points out, these expanded explosive-production capabilities could be used not only for traditional artillery but also for warheads on long-range missiles and guided aerial bombs. This would make Russia less dependent on its partners, such as North Korea, for supplies. In turn, the Kremlin could more precisely tailor its foreign procurement strategies to sustain its war against Ukraine.

On May 8, it was reported that Russia has received up to 6 million artillery shells from North Korea over the past 18 months, delivered in just 64 maritime shipments.

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