Ukraine war briefing: Sheffield steel for Kyiv’s guns as artillery barrels ship out

What Happened

The UK defence firm Sheffield Forgemasters, nationalised in 2021, has delivered the first four of a planned 150 artillery barrels to Ukraine under a £61 million contract. The 105mm and 155mm barrels, produced jointly with BAE Systems, mark the first British forged artillery barrels in nearly 20 years and are intended to replace worn-out Ukrainian guns. Sheffield is producing eight barrels per month; the initial shipment will also help Ukraine test its own manufacturing facilities. In parallel, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Naftogaz CEO Sergiy Koretsky is 'best prepared' to become prime minister in a government reshuffle, with a parliamentary vote expected on Thursday. The move follows the sacking of defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose six-month tenure saw battlefield improvements but allegedly created a feud with top commander Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, sparking outrage among allies and civil society. Overnight, Kyiv faced ballistic missile attacks—a warehouse was hit and debris fell on non-residential buildings—while Kharkiv was struck by drones. Russia accused Ukrainian forces of killing the chief engineer of the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Aleksandr Yakovlev, in a drone strike near the facility; Ukraine did not comment. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces claimed a strike on the Balaklava thermal power station in occupied Sevastopol, knocking out nearly 50% of Crimea's electricity. Repeated Russian strikes on Odesa's port and civilian infrastructure killed three, and guided bomb attacks on Sumy killed three and wounded seven. Amid these strikes, two Reuters sources said Russian energy companies have sought gasoline from Indian refiners after Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries crippled nearly 40% of capacity for at least two months.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The UK barrel delivery signals a tangible step in the West's effort to sustain Ukraine's artillery advantage as attrition takes its toll. Zelenskyy's reshuffle risks political friction at a critical moment, potentially unsettling command cohesion just as winter energy pressure mounts. Ukraine's deep strikes on Russian refineries and Crimea's power plant demonstrate a persistent capacity to degrade Moscow's war economy and logistics, while Russia's retaliatory attacks on ports and civilian infrastructure keep economic and humanitarian pressure high. The nuclear plant incident underscores the persistent danger of the Zaporizhzhia facility.

Watch For

The Ukrainian parliament's vote on the prime ministerial succession on Thursday and the subsequent cabinet composition. The operational impact of the new British barrels—whether they enable Ukraine to restore artillery capability more quickly than through refurbishment alone. Further Russian fuel supply crises if Indian refiners cannot or will not meet the demand. Any escalation around the Black Sea trade war, particularly ship-to-ship transfers of gasoline. The IAEA's response to the Zaporizhzhia killing allegation and the broader safety situation at the plant.