Ukrainian firms have boosted their manufacturing capabilities to produce up to four million drones annually, according to Defense Minister Rustem Umerov during a press conference on June 26.
The statement comes as Ukraine aims to boost local weapons manufacturing due to doubts about additional backing from the U.S. and decreased reliance on imports from European allies.
Ukrainian producers will provide four million drones To the forefront this year, the Ukrainian army had reportedly received up to 1.5 million drones by the end of June, as stated by Umerov.
The minister stated that brigades submitted numerous requests for direct funding during the previous year, with a pledge confirmed for 2025. Additionally, he mentioned that the administration is presently distributing HR 2.5 billion ($60 million) monthly to support direct procurement teams.
Meanwhile, Umerov mentioned that some brigades do not allocate funds because they lack procurement experts. As a result, the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) initiated the DOT Chain Defense platform for Ukrainian troops.
"The teams view a ' marketplace' of drones: each group places their order as needed, with the healthcare institution covering the costs. By doing this, we greatly cut down on bureaucratic processes, allowing teams to receive what they require up to ten times quicker," explained Umerov.
Russian drone strikes across Ukraine have been setting records in recent weeks, with almost 500 drones and missiles launched overnights.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion As of April 2025, Ukraine has concentrated extensively on the development and deployment of sophisticated unmanned systems, with over 95% utilization. drones used by Ukrainian forces on the front line are domestically produced.
Both Ukraine and Russia have progressively depended on drone warfare, utilizing airborne, maritime, and land drones for intelligence gathering as well as combat missions — rendering technological advancement an essential element of modern conflict.
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