This was stated by Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence, during a speech at the international forum “Security Architecture.”
According to him, Russia should not be underestimated, as it has preserved a powerful defence-industrial complex and is capable of rapidly scaling up production.
“In 2024, Russia’s defence order for ‘Shahed’-type drones was about 12,000. The defence order for 2026—for ‘Gerbera’, ‘Geran’, and other types of ‘Shahed’—already exceeds 100,000 units per year. This is a clear example of how Russia’s defence industry can scale up,” he said.
Skibitskyi also noted that Russia has managed to build effective ways to bypass international sanctions during the full-scale invasion, and that components in its precision weapons include parts produced by American and European companies.
In addition, he added that Russia’s management system includes strict penalties for failing to meet production targets for weapons.
At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine’s Defence Forces are disrupting and even halting the production of certain types of weapons and chemical components when they strike Russia’s defence industry.
