It is Austrailia and France trying to grow closer to NATO. Russia is surprsingly good at using spies and probably knew this was comming so there is little need for secrecy.

Ukraine will need regular shells as since the line is largely static Russia (a country famous for its use of arty) is in its element. It can't advance well but can make life hell. If Ukraine wants to win the arty war and go on the offensive it will need the shells to sustain a long term bombardment. Arty shells dry up really quick when you use them for long periods of time, for example the American's fired 1.2 million of them in the Ardenes offensive.