The following is the March 11, 2025 edition of our Ukraine Business Roundup weekly newsletter. To get the biggest news in business and tech from Ukraine directly in your inbox, subscribe here. For all the hype around foreign weapons producers setting up shop in Ukraine to help it fend off
The Russian-made Kalashnikov still prevails as the main small arm in Ukraine’s military. A Czech weapons giant is setting up shop in Ukraine’s factories to change that. The Prague-domiciled conglomerate, Colt CZ, has set up assembly of its Bren 2 assault rifles inside Ukraine under the name “Sich”
The company sees this partnership as an opportunity to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and expand its presence in global markets.
Lithuania has already invested 20 million euros ($21 million) in purchasing weapons for Kyiv from Ukrainian producers and will produce arms in cooperation with Ukraine, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said on March 1.
France and Ukraine have been discussing the use of Ukrainian minerals for the purposes of the French defense industry since October 2024, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said, as France Info reported on Feb. 27.
The EU faces major challenges in this effort, namely an undersized defense industry and empty stocks after delivering billions in arms and ammunition to Ukraine, Bloomberg reported.
"These high-speed FPV drones are capable of chasing down any wheeled vehicles of the invaders," the Defense Ministry said.
According to the new model, military units will be able to choose the unmanned systems best suited to their needs. The system also aims to support manufacturers through advance orders, allowing them to plan for scaling up their production.
Europe urgently needs to rearm. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the broader threat that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime poses to Europe, requires nothing less. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has also now made clear that neither Ukraine nor America’s NATO allies can count on
In 2024, Russia’s total defense expenditures surged by 42% in real terms, reaching 13.1 trillion rubles. When adjusted for purchasing power parity—which accounts for differences in what money can buy in different countries—this amounts to $462 billion.
Editor’s Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on Feb. 8, 2025, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to The Counteroffensive, click here. Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine — In the early hours of December 2024, as the sun
The project seeks to enhance combat effectiveness by expanding the use of drones within elite units of the Ground Forces and the State Border Guard Service.
Ukraine has become a war lab for the future since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Driven by necessity, it has had no choice but to rely on rapid innovations to fight back. As a result, Ukraine is at the forefront of military technology, leveraging robotics and automation to
Despite the uncertainty surrounding a potential resolution to the war, Ukrainians know one thing for sure: we must ramp up our defense capabilities to effectively defend against current and future Russian aggression. This requires the rapid development of asymmetrical solutions to counter Russia's advantages in personnel, material, and financial resources.
As Russia's options to purchase gallium and germanium from around the world almost disappeared, China became the sole supplier in 2023, the investigation said, citing leaked data from Russian customs databases.
The explosion occurred at 4:20 p.m. local time on Jan. 30, starting a large fire that spread to about 2,000 square meters. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation, Spanish authorities said.
Umerov has been lambasted by pro-reform MPs and anti-corruption activists for what they see as his efforts to destroy the independence of the Defense Procurement Agency. Anti-corruption watchdogs have also argued that Umerov's actions jeopardize Western military aid for Ukraine.
The State Department described arms sales and transfers as "important U.S. foreign policy tools with potential long-term implications for regional and global security."
Germany's KNDS Deutschland, a manufacturer of Leopard 2 tanks, has officially opened a joint venture with a Ukrainian defense company, Ukraine's Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin reported on Jan. 21.
"We have the capacities and capabilities to create, and we are working on creating, our own domestic air defense complex," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said on Jan. 19.
Key developments on Jan. 16: * Ukraine, UK sign 100-year partnership agreement, pledges $3.6 billion in military support * Ukrainian drones strike oil depot, gunpowder factory in Russia * Ukrainian paratroopers capture 27 Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast * Ukraine extends cooperation with Norwegian NASAMS systems supplier * Ukrainian military releases footage of rare
A Ukrainian drone strike targeted a Russian gunpowder factory in the village of Kuzmino-Gat in Tambov Oblast overnight on Jan. 16, local Telegram channels and a Ukrainian official claimed.
"The U.K. has already invested in the production of our weapons, and this collaboration continues — specifically, funding will be directed toward the production of air defense systems and long-range weapons," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.
Ukraine's government has approved a measure allowing foreign companies to participate in modernizing military equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 13.
Key developments on Jan. 9: * Ukraine's 47th Brigade releases video of 'massive' Russian attack repelled in Kursk Oblast * 4,000 North Korean troops killed or wounded fighting against Ukraine, Zelensky claims * 'It would be crazy to drop the ball now' — Zelensky urges continued unity, support for Ukraine at Ramstein * Kyiv,
"We have a shortage of professionals, and Ukraine is ready to exempt most of them from military service," Chernyshov said.
Denmark has reserved 135 million euros ($139 million) for further purchases under the "Danish model," buying arms for Ukraine directly from Ukrainian arms manufacturers. Norway is expected to contribute another 43 million euros ($44 million) to this initiative.
The funds will support the production of long-range drones, missiles, and artillery, which are critical to Ukraine’s defense strategy.
The country's defense strategy seeks to increase spending to 1% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.
The Trembita is significantly cheaper than Western or Russian cruise missiles, and operates like the V1 flying bombs used by Germany during World War II.
Europe is unlikely to ramp up weapons and ammunition production for Ukraine in the coming years, according to Andrius Kubilius, the newly appointed EU Commissioner for Defense and Space.
The attack struck the Kamensky Combine, a chemical plant that produces rocket fuel for the Russian military, according to Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's counter-disinformation center.
