Ukraine to supply 1,000 interceptor drones per day, says Defense Minister
Photo: Minister of Defense of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal (facebook.com zelenskyy.official)
Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal has pledged to reach a production level of 1,000 interceptor drones per day in the near future. According to Shmyhal, this is a direct response to Russia’s nighttime attacks, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
“We set a goal of 1,000 drones. This is not just a target - it’s a necessity to effectively shoot down all Russian drones. We understand that 800 drones per night is the level Russia has already demonstrated in practice. Accordingly, we need to have at least 1,000 interceptor drones,” Ukraine’s Defense Minister said at a press conference in Kyiv with his Polish counterpart Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
Shmyhal added that this level will be achieved soon. The project’s goal is to intercept all enemy drones operating in Ukraine.
The Minister noted that producing 1,000 drones is not a problem for Ukraine.
“We can reach this level very quickly. Right now, in fact. The issue lies in the number of ground control systems, radars, and other elements, including AI guidance systems,” Shmyhal emphasized.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister stressed that there is a whole ecosystem for drone interception, which is not limited to interceptor drones alone.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg of a large, coordinated system that must operate, including electronic warfare systems, radars, and more. It is a large complex, and its implementation takes some time. But we are confidently moving toward the goal according to schedule,” Shmyhal noted.
Polish Defense Minister visits Kyiv
During meetings with the Ukrainian side, several agreements were reached, including the joint creation of an operational drone systems group.
As previously reported, Poland and Ukraine are preparing to sign an agreement on cooperation in drone technologies, which will include sharing Ukraine’s battlefield experience in using drones.
