Ukraine now producing one-third of needed weapons, aims for 50% – PM
Photo: Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says Ukraine has built a new defense industry, which today has capabilities that have increased 35 times.
“Up to $35 billion a year. This is a significant achievement. In two years, the production of artillery has tripled, armored personnel carriers have increased 5 times, anti-tank weapons have increased 2 times, and ammunition has increased 2.5 times. Now we produce about a third of the weapons we need, our goal is 50%, at least,” Shmyhal said at a press conference.
Defense spending
According to the Ministry of Finance, more than UAH 2.2 trillion is allocated for the Defense Forces in 2025. Of this amount, UAH 740 billion will be spent on the purchase of weapons, which fully covers the annual requirement, and almost UAH 50 billion will be spent on the production and purchase of UAVs.
At the end of December 2024, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that the capabilities of the Ukrainian defense industry had increased sixfold. Now almost all drones for the front are produced in Ukraine.
According to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, the capabilities of the Ukrainian defense industry could reach $35 billion by 2025.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that since the beginning of the full-scale war, the production of domestic weapons has increased dramatically. However, he added that Ukraine still needed support from the EU and the US.
