Page 22 - UKRRptApr24

the failure of last year’s counteroffensive “has been a psychological blow.”
Chechen paramilitary groups are “actively buying up captured Ukrainians from other Russian military factions” and then exchanging them for their own POWs, reports The Times. Because Chechen forces’ role in the war has receded to “policing and logistics operations at a remove from the front line,” they are now buying Ukrainian prisoners to trade for the “Chechens languishing in Ukrainian POW camps.”
Ukraine building 2,000 kilometers of fortifications. The construction of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) of fortifications across three lines of defense is "a massive task, but the pace is good," Zelensky said.
Oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai hit by drones. A fire broke out at an oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, amid reports of explosions and a possible drone attack overnight on March 17. There were 35 drone attacks on the last day of presidential elections A Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters on Sunday that long-range Ukrainian attack drones launched by the SBU domestic security service had hit 12 Russian oil refineries during the war as of March 17.
Ukrainian authorities plan to open 27 new recruitment centers across the country in the first half of 2024. The Ministry of Defense already launched two of them in Lviv and Zaporizhzhia. This new type of military recruitment center is designed to be a venue where interested candidates can obtain information, including about military service in general, available positions within the Armed Forces, and service in a certain military unit of interest. Additionally, such centers can provide guidance and support to recruits during the application process. The recruitment centers’ employees are civilians who are not authorized to hand out military summons to potential candidates.
● Weapons
The Ukrainian government has allocated nearly $1.4B in 2024 for arms procurement and development, 20 times more than before the full-scale invasion. Another important shift is that most weapons are now purchased from private factories (about 80% of the defense industry is in private hands). For example, a private mortar plant, which started operating in western Ukraine last year, produces about 20,000 shells per month. The owner of the plant plans to increase production to 100,000 shells per month, as well as develop engines and explosives. However, Ukraine's defense sector is held back by a lack of money, human resources, and too much bureaucratic red tape in the government. Analysts say a stronger private sector could help eliminate inefficiencies and allow factories to produce weapons and ammunition even faster.
Ukraine is calling on its Western allies to finance its domestic arms production. According to the FT, Kyiv’s recently increased production capacity significantly exceeds the funds available to place orders. "The fastest way to start production is to do it in Ukraine. We are competitive in terms of prices and are close to the front line," said Oleksandr Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine. He added that Ukraine can already produce modern weapons in some categories with lower costs. At the same time, the minister gave the example of Canadian drones with an average price of $87,000 per
22 UKRAINE Country Report April 2024 www.intellinews.com