Ukraine has made significant progress in developing and deploying unmanned systems, with over 95% of drones used at the front line being domestically produced. According to Deputy Defense Minister Valerii Churkin, this marks a major breakthrough for Ukraine’s defense industry.
In recent years, Ukraine has increasingly turned to innovation and home production to reduce its reliance on foreign arms deliveries. The country allocated $1.3 billion in the 2025 budget to defense manufacturing, with plans to raise over $1 billion this year through a “Danish model” that allows countries to donate arms to Ukraine by purchasing them directly from domestic producers.
As of April 28, more than 330 new models of unmanned systems have been authorized for production, compared to just 75 last year. This shift towards domestic production has seen over 40% of the weapons used on the front line being produced in Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelensky citing this as a major success story.
The use of drone warfare has become increasingly common among both Ukraine and Russia, with both countries relying on aerial, naval, and ground-based drones for reconnaissance and combat missions. As Ukraine continues to develop its defense industry, it remains to be seen how this will impact the conflict with Russia.
Source: https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-uses-over-95-of-domestically-made-drones-at-front-line-defense-ministry-says