President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address on Jan. 29 that one of the main tasks in the ongoing year is to keep ahead of Russia in the quality of drone operations, the production of which Ukraine aims to increase significantly.
Zelensky said he held a conference call with Ukraine's military leadership and intelligence, where the officials discussed drone production, supply, and provision issues for the units.
“The more successful Ukrainian drones are, from FPV (first-person-view) to strategic drones, the more lives of our warriors we will save,” the president noted.
Among other factors, 2023 in Russia's war against Ukraine was defined by the rapid development of drone technology by both sides.
Earlier in January, Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said the intensity of drone use and minefields "made it impossible" for both Russia and Ukraine to conduct offensive operations.
Budanov also highlighted the importance of electronic warfare systems to counter enemy drones, which Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi had called “the key to victory in the drone war.”
Speaking at his press conference on Dec. 19 last year, Zelensky announced Ukraine would produce 1 million drones in 2024.
According to Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukraine produced 50,000 FPV drones in December 2023, saying the country aimed to massively scale up its production of drones to tens of thousands per month.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
