With a population of just 1.8 million, North Macedonia plays an outsize role in supporting NATO and Ukraine's defence. In 2019, ATS Group, a North Macedonian company with roots in textile manufacturing, pivoted to ammunition production by acquiring the former "Suvenir Samokov" factory, a Yugoslav-era facility known for producing 9mm and 7.62mm rounds. This transformation coincided with North Macedonia's accession to NATO in March 2020, enabling the factory to produce NATO-standard ammunition. Today, the Balkan country produces 800 rounds of ammunition per minute as the war in Ukraine approaches its third year. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES