Ukrainians are getting new supplies courtesy of the American ammo industry.
Some of the most prominent ammunition brands in the country are donating a huge number of rounds to the Ukraine Armed Forces. Remington, CCI, Speer, and Federal Ammunition promised to send a million rounds of ammo to the besieged defenders. Jason Vanderbrink, president of the brands, said the companies have been supplying Ukraine for years and the donation is part of their commitment to arming America’s allies.
“Remington, CCI, Speer, and Federal wanted to help the people of Ukraine the best way we know how…making high-quality ammunition,” Vanderbrink told The Reload. “Federal supported the needs of America’s armed forces and our allies for decades operating the Twin Cities Ordnance Plant, while Remington built well over half of all the small arms ammo used by the Allies during WWII. This ammo donation is a concrete gesture honoring our company’s heritage supporting America and our allies abroad in the fight against tyranny and aggression.”
The donation comes as part of a broader effort to resupply Ukrainians as they hold back the onslaught of the Russian invasion. As the war drags into its second week–longer than most experts believed Ukraine could hold out–Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is upping his calls for support from the west. Many nations have responded to those calls with supplies ranging from firearms to artillery pieces to fighter jets. Now private companies like Vista Outdoors, which owns the brands donating a million rounds, and competitor Ammo Inc. are chipping in as well.
If the Ukrainians can hold off the Russian advance, it could significantly reduce Russian influence. That would impact the balance of power in the world.
The donation also comes while the American ammo market continues to recover from several years of demand outstripping supply. Stock has been refilling store shelves at a faster rate in recent months, but supply has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels and prices have settled in far higher than usual. Vanderbrink said Vista is running its ammo plants at full capacity to ensure the Ukrainian donation does not harm domestic supply.
“Our four factories have been working 24/7 to meet the historic demand for our ammunition for years now,” he told The Reload. “With the support of our thousands of American manufacturing employees behind us, we’re working as hard as we can to help America’s interests by supplying ammo at home and abroad.”
The brands will also be selling t-shirts to raise money for the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund run by the non-profit GlobalGiving. That fund has raised $8.7 million of its $15 million goal.
Vanderbrink said the Russian invasion has “displaced millions of citizens and exposed average people to the horrors of war.” He said the resistance of armed Ukrainians reflects why many Americans hold the right to keep and bear arms in high esteem.
“Supporting the relief effort is a crucial element of the global response and we are proud to do our part,” he said. “It underscores how critical the Second Amendment is in America and highlights the importance of the ability of American Manufacturers to supply our allies with ammunition. We have long supported Ukrainian armed forces and we will continue to do so in this global cause to unite for democracy.”
