British intelligence update on Tuesday said due to a shortage of ammunition, Russia is using outdated shells in the war against Ukraine.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in London said in its daily update that the ammunition had previously been deemed unserviceable.
“In recent weeks, Russian artillery ammunition shortages have likely worsened to the extent that extremely punitive shell-rationing is in force on many parts of the front.
“This has almost certainly been a key reason why no Russian formation has recently been able to generate operationally significant offensive action.”
The Russian defence industry was increasingly taking on the traits of a command economy, the MoD update said.
The leadership in Moscow has recognized that the industry is at a crucial weak point in the “increasingly attritional” war, the ministry said.