Ukrainian forces launched more drones in July than Russian troops, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed in his evening address on Aug. 6.
Throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine and Russia have heavily invested in drone technology, revolutionizing warfare. For outnumbered Ukrainian forces, drones have been one of the key weapons to strike Russian warships, naval bases, oil refineries, and airfields inside occupied territories and deep behind Russia's lines.
"In terms of this, Ukraine's Defense and Security Forces are already gaining an advantage, and in July our soldiers used more drones than the occupier. This should be a steady trend on the front line — for all types of drones that our units have," Zelensky said.
According to the president, by becoming a leader in drone development, Kyiv could be "a security provider for other states."
One million drones have been contracted for Ukrainian manufacturers through 2024, he said.
"We do not disclose all the details now, but our capacity to produce drones is constantly growing, and we are working not only with state funding, but also with partners to invest in our drone production," Zelensky added.
Kyiv has the production capacity to produce more than three million drones a year but requires financing from foreign partners, Deputy Strategic Industries Minister Hanna Hvozdiar said.
In the first half of 2024, Ukrainian soldiers received six times more drones than last year, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi said in July.
Kateryna Denisova
