In a recent column for Ukrinform, Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Rustam Umerov, disclosed the country's intention to acquire up to one million FPV unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in the coming year.
Umerov stated that the decision followed on from a comprehensive assessment of the Defense Forces' requirements and subsequent collaboration with Ukrainian manufacturers.
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According to him, the Ministry of Defense has already initiated the procurement process by ordering the initial batches of the drones.
“The Ministry of Defense ordered the first lots of FPV drones. In general, in 2024, the state plans to buy at least a million drones. It must be the first time the military's real need for drones is calculated and summarized. We are working on effective logistics, cost reduction, and production of sufficient quantities of spare parts, " Umerov wrote.
The minister acknowledged that, in the past, the Ministry refrained from purchasing FPV drones due to a lack of clear legislative criteria and procedures or rules for their use on the battlefield.
Previously, volunteers, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and regional military administrations were responsible for raising the funds and procuring such drones.
“For 2024, the Ministry of Defense has, for the first time, meticulously formulated and aligned the Defense Forces' needs. Previously, different departments independently established their requirements, leading to inconsistencies and duplications,” Umerov wrote.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky further underscored this commitment during his final 2023 press conference, affirming Ukraine’s intention to domestically produce a million drones in 2024.
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