As officially confirmed by the head of the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, Oleksandr Kamishin, for several months now, Ukraine has been serially producing a long-range kamikaze drone similar to the Iranian ‘Shahed.’
Ukraine has its version of the ‘Shahed’ in its arsenal.
According to Oleksandr Kamishin, our country had the relevant developments seven years ago, which, for some reason, were not put into production.
“We have launched production on a mass scale. Currently, we are producing them by the dozens. Next year, the Armed Forces may receive over a thousand such drones that can fly more than 1000 kilometers,” the minister states.
According to his data, as of today, the Ukrainian defense industry has the capability to produce dozens of such kamikaze drones, and in the future, it will continue to expand its capacities.
In addition, Oleksandr Kamishin also confirmed the statement of the head of the state, Volodymyr Zelensky, that the defense industry complex may produce a million FPV drones next year.
What did Zelensky say about drone production in 2024?
During the year-end press conference, the Ukrainian president announced that Ukraine is soon expecting a real breakthrough in drone production.
According to him, a million Ukrainian drones will be produced in 2024.
“I am positive about increasing the production of drones and special units. There must be a management structure for drone control. Not Soviet, but very simple to use quickly,” explained Volodymyr Zelensky.
He also does not hide his frustration with the bureaucratic Soviet process in logistics in Ukraine, stating, “When 26,000 drones were stored in the warehouse and did not reach the front, it was very loud at Stavka, but there cannot be such problems. I’m just shocked at how what we produce cannot reach its destination,” emphasized Zelensky.