2.5 billion hryvnias will be distributed monthly among the brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). The funds will be used to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles.
Points of attention
- The Ukrainian Armed Forces brigades will receive UAH 2.5 billion monthly for the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles to improve military capabilities.
- The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine plans to purchase a significant number of drones for 2024-2025; together with the Ministry of Digital Affairs, contracts for over 1.8 million UAVs have already been signed.
- In Ukraine, drone production is scaling up rapidly: in two years, the number of manufacturers has increased from 7 to 87, in order to ensure its own security and prevent Russia from taking advantage.
- Plans for drone production in Ukraine are ambitious: The government plans to produce millions of drones annually to strengthen the country's defense capabilities.
- Expanding funding for the purchase of drones is an important step to ensure the military readiness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and their effective work on the front.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive UAH 2.5 billion monthly for the purchase of drones
This was announced by the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov.
According to the minister, in December 2024, the Ministry of Defense had already transferred 2.1 billion hryvnias to the units for the purchase of drones. This allowed to promptly meet the needs of the military and improve the diversification of centralized management.
After analyzing the initiative, the government decided to expand it. Today, the Cabinet of Ministers supported the corresponding proposal of the Ministry of Defense to increase funding.
From now on, 2.5 billion hryvnias will be distributed monthly among the brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the purchase of drones. Unit commanders will be able to independently choose the drones that are most effective for performing combat missions at the front.
Rustem Umerov
Minister of Defense
How many drones are contracted for 2024-2025?
As reported by the Ministry of Defense, in 10 months of 2024, the department, together with the Ministry of Digital Affairs, contracted 1.6 million drones of various types for a total amount of over UAH 114 billion.
They said that of this volume, suppliers have already fulfilled orders for 1.28 million UAVs worth over UAH 81 billion. At the same time, another 366,940 drones are planned to be delivered by the end of the year.
For 2025, the Ministry of Defense, together with the Ministry of Digital Affairs, has contracted 155,205 unmanned aerial vehicles worth UAH 32.33 billion. In total, 1.8 million drones worth almost UAH 147 billion have already been contracted for 2024-2025.
Drone production in Ukraine
The Ministry of Digital Affairs reported that over the past two years, the production of drones in Ukraine has scaled up 100 times. If two years ago, when the “Army of Drones” project was launched, there were 7 manufacturers from which the state could purchase UAVs, today there are 87 of them.
On September 21, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that in 2025, Ukraine plans to produce several million drones in order to prevent Russia from gaining an advantage in this area.
On October 1, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that by the end of this year, Ukraine plans to produce 1.5 million drones, and Zelensky said at the International Defense Industries Forum that Ukrainians can produce 4 million drones annually.
