Nearly 60% of Ukrainian forces' weapons domestically produced, Zelensky says
Nearly 60% of the weapons used on the front line are produced in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Sept. 6.
"During this war, Ukraine has already reached the level where nearly 60% of the weapons we have, weapons in the hands of our warriors, are Ukrainian-made, and they are strong weapons, many of them cutting-edge," Zelensky said.
Ukraine has significantly expanded its domestic defense industry in response to Russia's full-scale invasion.
In recent weeks, Kyiv has previewed various domestic productions initiates, including the launch of the country's first line of joint drone production in Denmark.
Ukrainian defense company Fire Point announced on Sept. 4 that it has developed two new ballistic missiles, along with air defense systems. The announcement comes just weeks after the company's Flamingo cruise missile entered serial production.
In its 2025 budget, Ukraine allocated Hr 55 billion ($1.3 billion) to defense manufacturing in an effort to reduce dependence on foreign deliveries.
"Of course, there are goals we must still achieve, in particular, the production in Ukraine and together with Ukraine of air defense systems, of different types. It’s a challenge. And we must get there as well," Zelensky added.
Zelensky has long called on Western allies to provide air defense weaponry, including U.S.-made Patriot missile systems, to Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced an agreement between Ukraine and NATO on July 14 allowing European countries to purchase American arms, including Patriots, for Ukraine. The support comes through NATO's Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism, which coordinates funding for Kyiv's most urgent battlefield needs.
Zelensky said that the country is further "working to secure new contributions from partners to the PURL program," which will serve as a focus for next week.
Ukraine's has seen rapid success in the country's domestic weapons production in 2025. Zelensky previously said on April 16 that over 40% the weapons used at the front line are made in Ukraine.
