Russia plans to spend $12 billion on jet-powered drones, loitering munitions next year, Zelensky says

Russia plans to spend $12 billion next year on the production of jet-powered drones and loitering munitions, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his evening address on Sept. 26, citing Ukrainian military intelligence.

Zelensky said Ukrainian intelligence had obtained Russian internal documents showing the volumes of weapons Russia is preparing to produce next year and the funding allocated for them.

In recent months, Russia has increasingly relied on jet-powered drones in attacks on Ukrainian cities. In some attacks on Kyiv, jet-powered drones have accounted for around two-thirds of all drones launched.

"Next year, just for the production of jet-powered drones and loitering munitions, Russia plans to spend $12 billion on this one category of weapons," Zelensky said.

Zelensky said Ukraine is scaling up production of interceptor drones to counter Russia's increasingly widespread use of jet-powered drones. Several interceptor prototypes are already being tested in combat, he said, with some identified as potential primary means of defense against the weapons.

"We are scaling up production and components. There will be a response," Zelensky said.

The remarks come as Russia has intensified its attacks against Ukraine in recent days, despite renewed international efforts to secure a ceasefire. U.S. President Donald Trump called for an end to the war during his address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 22, while Zelensky said following their meeting that Ukraine was ready to accept a ceasefire covering attacks on energy infrastructure if Russia agreed to the same terms.

Zelensky said Russia's planned spending on attack drones shows that Moscow is not preparing to halt the war "at least for now."

He also said Ukraine's partners need to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions and strengthen joint efforts to defend against drones.

Ukraine currently intercepts about 55% of Russia's jet-powered Shahed-type drones, according to Zelensky. More than 2,730 jet-powered Shaheds were launched against Ukraine in September, he said.

Zelensky said Ukraine aims to raise the interception rate to the level achieved against conventional Shahed drones, which he said is above 90%.

Ukraine has already signed 11 drone deals, according to Zelensky. The 11th, with Finland, was signed this week in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

He said Ukraine is preparing a 12th agreement, which it expects to sign with another country in the coming weeks.

"For Ukraine, this means more production capacity, more funding, and more technological advantages," Zelensky said.

Zelensky also said Russia is conducting a campaign targeting Ukrainian data centers, infrastructure, and communications. He said the goal is to leave Ukrainians without internet access, communications, and digital services.

Earlier, Russia's attacks on Kyiv on Sept. 26 caused internet outages across the capital and disrupted access to some online services.