The outcome of the military confrontation with Russia largely depends on the ability to scale the production of the latest warfare tools, including drones, notes Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Valerii Churkin.
"Given the performance of unmanned systems and the rapid growth of their role on the battlefield, it is clear that the outcome of the confrontation will depend largely on the ability to quickly, massively, and systematically increase the production of the latest warfare tools. Considering the unequal conditions in terms of soldiers, weapons, and equipment, Ukraine has focused on the development of military technologies as an asymmetric response to the enemy's significant advantage. We have made a significant breakthrough in the unmanned systems sector. Over 95% of the UAVs currently used on the front lines are domestically produced," Churkin wrote in his column on the Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, unmanned systems are now at the forefront of the weapons architecture of the leading armies in the world, and Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has already introduced over 330 new domestic UAVs for operation in 2024, compared to just 75 in 2023.
"However, we are not the only ones investing in new weaponry. The aggressor is also actively developing its military-industrial complex... Despite economic sanctions, Russia's military industry continues to produce nearly the entire range of weapons—from small arms to aircraft and precision missiles. The production of various types of drones has been given a priority. It is critically important for Ukraine to win this technological sprint," emphasized the Deputy Minister.
He pointed out that the more new warfare tools the Ukrainian army has at its disposal, the more capabilities Ukrainian soldiers have on the battlefield.
"Priority attention must be given to the production of relatively cheap and effective means of destruction. We must inflict large losses on the enemy with fewer resources," Churkin added.
