In an interview with Interfax-Ukraine, Vadym Skibitskyi, a representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, spoke about the state of the aggressor state's military industry, cooperation between moscow and pyongyang in the area of armaments, and the role of F-16 aircrafts, which are very much feared in russia.

The key points from the conversation:

In February 2024, russia planned to produce 130 missiles of the 'Iskander', 'Kalibr', X-101, X-32, and 'Kinzhal' class.

In russia, a centre has been set up to replace foreign components, especially electronic components, with russian-made ones. They are of poorer quality, not as perfect, but they allow for the production of weapons.

Currently, the russians are using missiles manufactured in the fourth quarter of 2023 ― that is, right off the assembly line. We see that the missiles no longer meet the declared characteristics, and their quality is deteriorating.

The russians manufactured about two million rounds of 122 mm, 152 mm ammunition last year.

In 2024, the russians plan to produce 2.7 million shells. We will see whether these plans will be implemented, as this will require modernisation of production, de-mothballing or the creation of new lines.

The russians have already taken all the ammunition out of belarus, so there is nothing left to take from there.

The russians have already received 1.5 million 122 mm and 152 mm shells from North Korea. These are munitions of 1970s-1980s, half of which do not work.

In exchange for the supply of shells, missiles and other weapons, Pyongyang seeks to obtain military technologies from moscow to develop its military-industrial complex.

In particular, North Korea asks the kremlin for technologies related to nuclear weapons. russia must be brought to justice for this.

Nuclear blackmail is a very powerful tool used by russia to influence political processes, particularly in Europe.

The aggressor state of russia has about 300 combat aircrafts against our state.

The F-16 is one of the means that will allow us, among other things, to destroy russian aviation used for bombing strikes. Then there will no longer be 75 enemy bombs on Avdiyivka in just one day, or on Krynky, where the russians threw, for example, 35-45 bombs at one of our small bridgeheads.

The kremlin is very much afraid that powerful Western equipment will come to Ukraine, so the aggressor has set itself the task of destroying both our aviation and infrastructure.

The russian federation is forming so-called "volunteer corps" numbering 18,000 people, including former ‘Wagnerites’. This process is managed by the ministry of defence of the aggressor state. These "brigades of veterans" operate according to the principle of ‘Wagner’ - constant assaults and achieving results at any cost.

Foreigners recruited by russia, including Africans and Syrians, go to war in order to escape at the first opportunity and then get to Europe.