Russia proposes massive drone factory in Belarus, aiming for 100,000 units annually

Russia has put forward a proposal to establish a large-scale drone production facility in Belarus, capable of manufacturing up to 100,000 unmanned aerial vehicles per year.

The plan, unveiled by Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration Maxim Oreshkin during his visit to Minsk, aims to enhance Belarus' economic and security independence through advanced technological cooperation with Moscow, Caliber.Az reports referring to Russian media.

“It is important for Belarus to have its own production facilities, which would make the economy and security sphere of the country truly sovereign,” Oreshkin emphasized. He noted that the proposed factory would utilize Russian technological developments and solutions, ensuring both efficiency and sustainability within a shared technological framework.

Oreshkin stressed that the initiative includes the localization of all key components for unmanned aerial systems within Belarus. By integrating the entire manufacturing process into a single technological platform, both economic impact and strategic autonomy would be significantly enhanced.

“The basic proposal is to build within a year a plant that can produce up to 100,000 drones annually. This proposal, which was made by the Russian side, will now be discussed with our colleagues to finalize the parameters,” Oreshkin stated.

The announcement came as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attended the “Demonstration of Solutions of the UAS Industry” exhibition in Minsk, where the latest Russian drone technologies were showcased. The event featured drones for agriculture, terrain monitoring, and cargo transportation, underlining their potential applications across various industries.

Russian officials attending the exhibition included Maxim Oreshkin and Dmitry Peskov, Special Representative for Digital and Technological Development. During the visit, Belarusian and Russian officials discussed deepening bilateral cooperation, with a particular focus on drone technology, logistics, and digital platforms.

The Krutoy-Oreshkin group, a working partnership between Belarusian Presidential Administration Head Dmitry Krutoy and Oreshkin, has been leading Belarus-Russia integration efforts since 2018. Their work has included strengthening economic ties, digital trade, and industrial projects.

Among the key areas of cooperation, Oreshkin highlighted the platform economy, which has significantly increased Belarusian exports to Russian markets. “Any Belarusian manufacturers immediately get access to any point of the Russian market through platform solutions,” he noted.

By Tamilla Hasanova