UK artillery production revives as Russian fuel crisis hits exports
The first British-made artillery barrels in two decades have been shipped to Kyiv, marking a tangible step in Europe's push to rebuild domestic defence supply chains as Ukraine's drone campaign inflicts a historic fuel crisis on Russia.
Sheffield Forgemasters has delivered the first four artillery barrels to Ukraine under a £61m contract, the first time the UK has forged such components in almost 20 years. The company, nationalised in 2021 to secure critical defence programmes, is producing the 105mm and 155mm barrels at a rate of eight per month alongside BAE Systems. A total of 150 barrels are planned for delivery.
The shipments highlight a broader push by the UK and its European allies to rebuild domestic weapons manufacturing after decades of post-Cold War stagnation. Beyond supplying the front lines, the initial barrels sent to Kyiv are intended to help Ukraine test its own emerging manufacturing facilities. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy added that he expects Ukraine to acquire the knowhow to produce missiles for US Patriot defence systems by the end of the year.
Energy warfare disrupts Russian markets
Ukraine’s sustained campaign against Russian infrastructure is forcing a rethink in Moscow’s energy strategy. Russian energy companies are now seeking gasoline from Indian refiners to mitigate what sources described to Reuters as the country's worst ever fuel crisis. Nearly 40% of Russia’s refining capacity is unlikely to return for at least two months, assuming no further Ukrainian strikes.
While India is the largest buyer of Russian seaborne crude, its state refiners reportedly lack surplus gasoline to export directly. At least one cargo of Indian-origin fuel has already sailed to Russia, with further transfers potentially happening at sea. The disruption is already rippling into global trade; as Ukraine targeted 20 Russian vessels in the Black Sea, Moscow was forced to restrict shipping in the Sea of Azov, threatening exports from the world's top grain exporter.
The looming winter energy battle is also reshaping Kyiv’s government. Zelenskyy has nominated Sergiy Koretsky, the chief executive of state energy firm Naftogaz, as the next prime minister. “If we are entering winter, then we must prepare … After all the consultations, Sergiy Koretsky is probably the best prepared person for the position of prime minister of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said, with parliament expected to vote on Thursday.
The reshuffle has sparked political turbulence. Zelenskyy faced uproar after sacking defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose six-month tenure coincided with notable battlefield improvements. Allies and civil society groups had reportedly pleaded for him to keep his job amid rumours of a feud with the military’s top commander, Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi.
The political manoeuvring unfolded as Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv overnight, hitting a warehouse, while drone attacks targeted Kharkiv. Russian strikes also killed three people and wounded 15 in the south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia. Meanwhile, Moscow accused Kyiv of killing the chief engineer of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in a drone strike, an allegation Ukraine has not yet commented on.
