Minister says Zelenskyy's statement on producing 1 million UAVs concerns only FPV-drones

Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshyn has confirmed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's words that Ukraine plans to produce 1 million drones in 2024, clarifying that he is talking only about FPV drones.

"At the final press conference, the President promised that Ukraine will produce one million drones next year. And we are talking only about FPV-drones," Kamyshyn wrote in his Telegram channel, according to Forbes.

According to him, the production of FPV-drones exceeded 50 thousand in December.

"In addition to FPV drones, we are already capable of producing next year more than 10,000 medium-range attack drones (hundreds of kilometres) and 1,000+ drones with a range beyond 1,000 kilometres," the minister said.

Kamyshin emphasised that all production capabilities are ready and contracting for 2024 is starting.

The government has allocated $1 billion this year, which it will invest in Ukrainian drone manufacturers, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the anniversary of the Drone Army project. He added that the Cabinet of Ministers had approved a decision that would facilitate mass production of ammunition for drones.

According to the Ministry of Strategic Industries, Ukraine produces dozens of analogues of Iranian "Shaheds" per month. In November, Defence Industry Complex director-general German Smetanin said that a new Ukrainian kamikaze drone with a range of 1,000 kilometres had gone into mass production.

German drone manufacturer Quantum Systems has been supplying its Vector drones to Ukraine since April 2022. From January 2024, the company plans to launch production of spare parts here, and a year later - a full-fledged assembly of drones.