Ukrainian Defense Ministry delivers over 1.2 million drones to defenders in 2024
From night-vision reconnaissance to deep-strike attack capabilities, Ukraine's 2024 drone procurement spans an unprecedented range of military applications.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense announced it supplied 1.2 million drones to defense forces in 2024, highlighting the critical role of unmanned aerial vehicles in the ongoing war against Russia.
Drone warfare innovations have become a defining weapon of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier that Ukraine will continue to ramp up its own defense production, with plans to produce at least 30,000 long-range.
According to the ministry, the deliveries encompass a diverse range of drone types designed for reconnaissance, strike, and specialized missions.
The ministry reported that the purchase for 1.2 million drones included:
- 40,000 multi-rotor reconnaissance drones, with over 12,000 night-vision capable models
- 5,000 aircraft-type reconnaissance drones, featuring models like Shark, HOR, and Fury
- 6,000 deep-strike attack drones, including the An-196 Lyutyi and Firepoint
- 2,000 reusable attack drones such as Nemesis, Kazhan, and Vampir
- 5,000 reusable FPV (first-person view) copters
The State Special Communications Service provided 1.1 million FPV kamikaze drones, ordered specifically to meet combat unit requirements.
The ministry reported that “ensuring defense forces with modern drones remains a priority that allows for enhancing the country’s defense capabilities and the effectiveness of combat operations.”
On 16 November, The Wall Street Journal reported Ukraine’s efforts to increase production of low-cost, computer-controlled drones resistant to Russian electronic warfare systems. The publication reported that computer-guided drones could significantly reduce human personnel needed for mission-critical tasks.
The Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov announced on 6 December the creation of the Elf-P drone within the Brave1 project, specifically designed to neutralize Russian Orlan, ZALA, and SuperCam drones.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on 9 December to increase direct financing for defense force brigades.
“We recently approved a sum for such direct funds. But now I see that sum is also insufficient. I have instructed the prime minister to increase financing for brigades in the coming days — to increase it by an order of magnitude,” Zelenskyy said.
Read also:
- Drone wars: Ukrainian FPV destroys Russian fiber optic-controlled drone (video)
- New Chinese restrictions target drone supply chains, vital for Ukraine defense
- Germany and US collaborate on unified drone control system for Ukraine’s military
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