Ukraine: Government launches domestic production of drones
The Ukrainian government has approved an experimental defense procurement project that creates better conditions for domestic production of drones (UAVs) for a two-year period. This was reported by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, quoted by Ukrinform. The adopted resolution aims to simplify all bureaucratic procedures and create favorable conditions for domestic manufacturers of UAVs to start mass production. “A truly historic resolution was passed, which will significantly accelerate the production and delivery of domestic drones to the front, and most importantly, create conditions for the rapid development of Ukrainian military technology. This will allow UAV manufacturers to develop, expand, reinvest profits and compete with foreign companies,” he said. Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov added that military-industrial independence is one of the factors of the country’s defense capability, noting that the Defense Ministry has already received requests from Ukrainian manufacturers for 75 UAVs of various types and have already been concluded 16 state contracts with Ukrainian drone manufacturers. In 2023, the Defense Ministry will increase the procurement of UAVs for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and plans to allocate about 20 billion Ukrainian hryvnias (about 500 thousand euros) for it.