Photo: Nicole Tung for The New York Times
In 2023, weapons production in Ukraine tripled, and in the first eight months of this year, it doubled again compared to last year.
This was announced during a press conference on 10 September by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
«In 2023, arms production in Ukraine tripled, and in the first eight months of this year, we doubled production compared to 2023. This shows real progress. Drone production continues to grow. We have created a drone market, offering new opportunities for businesses and enterprises», — Shmyhal said, as quoted by Ukrinform.
Additionally, this year Ukraine focused on developing a market for drone weapons and domestic ammunition. As a result, over one million weapons have been contracted this year. Ukrainian domestic production of shells is expanding, not only for drones but also for artillery, which remains the most scarce resource that Ukraine is sourcing together with international partners.
According to Shmyhal, Ukraine is developing its weapons production in collaboration with international partners. This cooperation enables the repair and maintenance of military equipment produced domestically.
«We have already seen the first successful example. Together with Denmark, we’ve implemented such contracts. We plan to continue growing this area, where Ukrainian production is funded by partners, and they purchase Ukrainian-made weapons for the Ukrainian army», — Shmyhal explained.
Ukraine also provides repair and maintenance services for this equipment, which is more cost-effective and reliable for the military. Shmyhal noted that Ukraine’s defense industry is actively partnering with American, British, and European companies to establish joint ventures both in Ukraine and abroad.
«New foreign enterprises are being created in the defense sector, and their number is steadily increasing. We already have dozens of partnerships with American, European, British, and other companies worldwide. We are working on joint contracts and ventures for production in Ukraine and neighboring countries, as well as collaborations with Ukrainian companies. The main focus right now is to secure resources», — the Prime Minister emphasized.
Shmyhal also highlighted the special attention being given to developing Ukraine’s own long-range systems, as emphasized by the President.
«In terms of military cooperation, our goal is to reach a level where Ukraine localizes the production of a wide range of equipment, from ammunition and shells to batteries», — Shmyhal added.
Earlier, Ukraine developed the Palianytsia long-range drone missile, which has already successfully struck a Russian target in occupied Crimea.