Ukraine launches first defence factory in UK

The United Kingdom has become home to the first Ukrainian defence production facility, marking a significant step in deepening military-industrial cooperation between Kyiv and London.

According to Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the plant belongs to Ukrspecsystems, a company whose drones have already demonstrated effectiveness in high-tech warfare, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Speaking on Ukrainian television, Zaluzhnyi emphasised that the factory’s launch is strategically vital. “Ukraine fights under constant missile strikes, infrastructure destruction, and threats to critical production. Our engineers develop solutions not from theory, but from real battlefield experience,” he said.

The ambassador stressed that the initiative does not shift Ukraine’s industrial core abroad. “This is about expanding joint capabilities and creating a second line of resilience to ensure uninterrupted production,” Zaluzhnyi explained.

The engineering hub will remain in Ukraine, while manufacturing integrates with the UK’s defence sector, establishing a new model of partnership.

For Ukraine, the project ensures stability and long-term planning. For the UK, it strengthens the domestic defence industry, provides access to technologies proven in modern conflict, and creates jobs. Zaluzhnyi highlighted that the initiative demonstrates rapid translation of combat experience into industrial and security solutions.

“This project has both strategic and civilisational significance. In effect, we are laying the foundation for a new European security architecture,” he concluded.

By Aghakazim Guliyev