The government is planning to increase defence production six times in 2024, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a Cabinet of Ministers meeting on 3 January.
He described it as a key task for 2024.
"The production capacity of the Ukrainian defence industry tripled in 2023. The ambitious goal for this year is for it to grow sixfold. This means more drones, more shells, more ammunition and armoured vehicles for our military," Shmyhal said in a Telegram message.
The government plans to spend 750bn hryvnyas to pay servicemen and over 265bn hryvnyas pn procurement, manufacturing and maintenance of weapons and equipment.
- Compared to spring 2023, Ukrainian defence plants have increased the production of armoured vehicles fivefold.
- Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin said that Ukraine produces dozens of so-called Ukrainian Shaheds per month, which are similar to Iranian drones.
- The German defence concern Rheinmetall and the Ukrainian Defence Industry (Ukroboronprom) have formed a joint venture. The new company will maintain and repair equipment supplied by the partners to Ukraine.