Montenegro Latest Country to Supply Drones to Ukraine

Russia’s Kommersant news outlet reported on Sunday that Montenegro is to produce unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in partnership with the US ByLight technology company – the first batches of which are earmarked as military aid for Ukraine.

The announcement by the Montenegrin government at the end of May underlines the Balkan country’s intent to increase its military capability as a member of NATO and to establish itself as “a reliable supplier of the most modern military equipment.”

Montenegro became the 29th member of the Alliance in June 2017. The statement said that the US was providing $15 million to fund the establishment of the production facility. Kommersant cited a spokesperson for the US Embassy to Montenegro as saying the project was fully supported by Washington and “demonstrate Montenegro’s seriousness in fulfilling its obligations as a NATO member.”

Since the start of the war in Ukraine sparked by Russia’s full-scale 2022 invasion Podgorica has allocated €11.3 million ($12.9 million) in military aid to Kyiv and has accepted more than 60,000 Ukrainian refugees – into a country with a population of just over 600,000.

ByLight is headquartered in the Washington DC area, with offices in the UK and nine production and development facilities spread throughout the US. A leading IT company, it specializes in “cyberspace operations,” artificial intelligence, information technology infrastructure and training as well as drone production.

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Its range of UAVs include variously sized Perses first-person view (FPV) quadcopter drones capable of carrying payloads ranging from 600 grams to 7.2 kilograms (1.3 to 15.8 pounds) and its HALO fixed wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones capable of carrying payloads ranging from 2 to 27.2 kilograms (4.4 to 60 pounds) depending on the model. The Podgorica government’s announcement did not specify which type(s) of drone would be produced under the scheme.

However not everyone was comfortable with the development. Marko Milačić, leader of the opposition “Real Montenegro” party said that the production of drones for Kyiv had the potential to drag his country into a war with Russia and making Montenegro “a legitimate target for a retaliatory strike in one of the most dangerous conflicts of our time.”

Montenegro is just the latest of Kyiv’s allies to agree on the joint production of weapons to defend Ukraine from Russian aggression with the way being led by Germany, which has established ammunition and armored vehicle manufacturing and repair facilities both within Ukraine and neighboring countries. On May 28 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced an agreement to fund the production of long-range missiles in Ukraine.

Following the 28th Ukraine Defense Contact Group “Ramstein” meeting on Wednesday, June 4, Ukraine’s Minister of Defense said that some of Kyiv’s closest partners who have provided billions in military aid are ready to partner with Ukraine to manufacture weapons, all of which will be provided to support the needs of the Ukrainian military “for as long as the war continues.”

This included an announcement by France to begin manufacturing drones at Ukrainian factories developed in cooperation with French industry. According to the UNN news site, other partnership support included missile, combat vehicle, and ammunition production and maintenance with companies from the UK, Sweden, Norway and the US within Ukraine.