Ukraine is boosting drone production to gain an edge in the conflict with Russia. This will enhance its reconnaissance and precision strike capabilities.

 


Anton, who prefers not to use his name for safety reasons, builds drones with the company Social Drone in his kitchen in Kyiv, Ukraine. Claire Harbage/NPR KYIV, Ukraine — Anton, a 35-year-old software developer, spends his free time assembling drones at his kitchen table after work. 

These drones are sent to the front line to support the Ukrainian army. Since the full-scale invasion by Russia in 2022, Ukraine has significantly increased its domestic production of attack and reconnaissance drones. This year, the government allocated $2 billion to produce at least 1 million first-person-view (FPV) drones, equipped with cameras that transmit video to remote pilots. 

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the country has already contracted 1.5 million drones in the first three quarters of this year and can produce 4 million drones annually. This effort involves the government, the military, private companies, and regular citizens. Serhiy Pirohov, co-founder of the volunteer drone assembly network Social Drone UA, emphasized the goal of involving more people and educating them so that everyone in the country can assemble some kind of drone. 

A drone was built at Skyassist, a company that started making drones in Ukraine during the war.

Ukraine has established a new armed forces branch dedicated to drone warfare, known as the Unmanned Systems Forces, which is the first of its kind, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. The commander of this branch, Vadym Sukharevsky, compared it to the creation of an air force and emphasized that Ukraine is keeping pace with Russia in terms of drone capabilities. Over 200 drone-producing companies have opened in Ukraine since 2022, including Skyassist, which has its offices in Kyiv. 

The co-founder of Skyassist, Ihor Krynychko, highlighted that Ukrainians are producing advanced drones due to the sacrifices made by their soldiers. Ukraine's navy has effectively used sea drones to deter Russian warships from the Black Sea. Additionally, the government unveiled the Palianytsia, described as a missile drone that can be used against targets deep into Russian territory. 

Completed drone bodies rest on shelves in the back of the workroom at Skyassist in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian military is already using domestically produced long-range attack drones to strike ammunition depots deep inside Russia. The main challenge for the expansion of drone production is funding. The government and private sector are producing more drones than the state can afford to acquire. Ukrainian officials have urged other countries to support them by purchasing Ukrainian drones.


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