Ukraine plans to purchase 4.5 million first-person-view (FPV) drones this year as part of a large-scale effort to equip its military with advanced technologies, the Defense Ministry reported on March 10.
The total cost of the procurement exceeds Hr 110 billion ($2.6 billion), with Hr 102 billion ($2.4 billion) allocated through the Defense Procurement Agency.
FPV drones, which are cost-effective and capable of precise targeting, have proven highly effective in destroying expensive military equipment.
The Defense Ministry purchased several thousands of drones in 2023, while the following year, the amount increased to 1.5 million, said Hlib Kanevsky, head of the ministry's procurement department. Roughly 96% of the allocated sum went to Ukrainian producers and suppliers.
Both Ukraine and Russia have increasingly relied on drone warfare, using aerial, naval, and ground-based drones for reconnaissance and combat missions.
The number of Russian targets destroyed by Ukrainian drones rose by 22% in February compared to January, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported.
Kyiv has also been accelerating the production of long-range missile-drone hybrids, with President Volodymyr Zelensky setting a target of at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
