Ukraine will reach its goal of producing 1 million drones per year, Digital Transformations Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum on Feb. 25.
High-ranking Ukrainian officials met to discuss Ukraine’s future at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum on Feb. 25, one day after the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale war.
The forum discussed achieving Ukraine’s goals in the war, developing its defense and security forces, implementing Ukraine’s peace formula, ensuring economic growth and integration into world markets, security guarantees, the status of its military-industrial complex, and protecting the lives of Ukrainians.
“At the end of last year, President (Volodymyr) Zelensky announced a plan that more than a million drones would be produced this year. Now the entire government team is working on this, and active contracting took place in January and February. Hundreds of thousands of drones have already been contracted, and this is the goal will be completed,” Fedorov said.
Fedorov also promised more reconnaissance aircraft, helicopters, kamikaze drones, sea drones, and electronic warfare systems in 2024.
Over 90% of the drones currently being used on the front line in Ukraine are Ukrainian-made, he added.
Drones have been a key tool in Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s war. In his nightly address on Jan. 29, Zelensky noted that one of Ukraine’s top priorities for 2024 is the production of drones.
Zelensky also signed a decree on Feb. 6 creating a separate branch of Ukraine’s Armed Forces dedicated to drones. The Unmanned Systems Forces will reportedly focus specifically on improving Ukraine’s work with drones, creating special drone-specific units, ramping up training, systemizing their use, increasing production, and pushing innovation.
Among those in attendance at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum will be Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin, Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, and Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Read also: How has Crimea changed after 10 years of Russian occupation?
We’ve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.