According to official information, the Ukrainian defense industry has already built and delivered one million drones in various versions for the armed forces. “And that’s just what the state does,” said President Volodymyr Zelensky in his evening video address. In addition to government-funded contracts, the private sector and foreign allies are also contributing drones to the war against aggressor Russia. Armaments Minister Olexander Kamyshin reported to Zelenskyj about the current status of drone production before his video address at a meeting of the top army leadership.
Given the changing nature of warfare, Ukraine quickly pivoted to using drones as a new means of combat. The unmanned aircraft are not only relatively easy and quick to produce, they can also be used without great risk because soldiers do not have to risk their own lives.
The Ukrainian defense industry and the private sector have been increasingly supplying drones to the front for months, from simple video drones for reconnaissance flights to combat drones to long-range kamikaze droneswhich can be used against targets deep in the Russian hinterland. Remotely controlled maritime drones, speedboats loaded with explosives, are also part of the Ukrainian arsenal.
With the comparatively new type of weapon, the Ukrainian military is supplementing its warfare with classic weapon systems such as artillery, infantry and combat aircraft. Special drone units have been supporting the troops' operations at the front for several months. But the Russian armed forces also rely heavily on drones in their war of aggression.
Zelensky expressed his gratitude to everyone involved for keeping the Ukrainian army technologically up to date. Thanks go to “all Ukrainian manufacturers, the public sector and all partners who invest in the production of drones in Ukraine”. Production will be further expanded.
The Ukrainian armed forces also receive drones from foreign partners. Lithuania will deliver 1,000 combat drones to Ukraine in the next few days, the Defense Ministry in Vilnius announced. The government of the Baltic state has ordered more than 7,000 combat drones from local manufacturers for eight million euros. Of these, a good 2,300 are intended for the Ukrainian army and almost 5,000 for the Ukrainian armed forces. After the first batch, the remaining flying robots are scheduled to be delivered by the end of this year.
