South Africa blocked transfer of shells to Poland, fearing they would end up in Ukraine
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
South Africa has not delivered artillery shells to Poland, which the latter had ordered. The South African authorities feared that the ammunition might end up in Ukraine, citing the Polish agency Rzeczpospolita.
Several months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Poland ordered ammunition from the German arms company Rheinmetall. The order involved the production of 50,000 rounds.
As of August 2024, the shells had still not been received by the Polish army.
The Rzeczpospolita reached out to the Polish Ministry of Defense's Armament Agency for information regarding the status of the contract. The agency responded that the contract was terminated on August 20, 2023, due to issues related to the subcontractor’s performance.
According to Rzeczpospolita, the ammunition for Poland was supposed to be manufactured by the South African company Rheinmetall-Denel Munition. This is a subsidiary of the German conglomerate, in which it holds a 51% stake.
The agency emphasizes that this subcontractor was the one blocking the supply of ammunition to Poland.
"The delivery of ammunition to Poland was blocked—more or less directly—by the South African government due to concerns that it might be sent to Ukraine. However, South Africa is closer to Russia, with whom it is part of the BRICS alliance, among other ties," the agency says.
The authors add that to effectively defend against a potential Russian attack, Poland needs at least one million 155mm artillery shells.
Rheinmetall and Ukraine cooperation
During the full-scale war, Ukraine has increased its weapons production. This includes drones, missiles, armored vehicles, and ammunition.
Additionally, Ukraine has begun cooperating with partner countries in the defense sector. Both domestically and abroad, facilities have been established to produce weapons for the Ukrainian military.
In particular, Ukraine is collaborating with the German conglomerate Rheinmetall. The company has set up a facility in Ukraine for equipment repairs and has also launched joint production of Lynx armored vehicles.
