Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal announced that the government has earmarked approximately $392 million to acquire additional drones.
This year, over $1 billion has already been allocated for drone purchases, with the recent funding expected to equip the security and defense forces with around 300,000 drones, as Shmygal shared on his Telegram channel following a cabinet meeting.
Maria Berlinskaya, Head of the Ukrainian Aerial Intelligence Support Center, highlighted in December 2023 the critical need for local drone production, cautioning that the Ukrainian military might have to withdraw without it.
She pointed out that a significant portion of Ukrainian weaponry had been destroyed by Russian drones.
In March 2024, Ukraine‘s army chief Alexander Syrsky emphasized the pivotal role of combat drones and electronic warfare tools in military operations.
President Vladimir Zelensky has committed to facilitating the production of one million drones in 2024.
Meanwhile, the military has voiced concerns about drone shortages, prompting the Ministry of Digital Transformation to propose that Ukrainians purchase components and assemble drones domestically.
The German government earlier declared a fresh military aid package for Ukraine, aimed at bolstering its defenses against ongoing Russian military operations.
The package includes ten Marder infantry fighting vehicles and Leopard 2 tank shells, as detailed in a recent update on the German government’s official website.
This latest round of aid not only provides Marder vehicles equipped with necessary ammunition but also includes the Sky Nyx air defence system and missiles for the IRIS-T SLM air defence systems.
Additionally, Ukraine will receive approximately 30,000 rounds of ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft guns and 7,500 155mm artillery shells.
