Ukraine aims to reach a daily output of 1,000 long-range drones
Ukraine plans to significantly increase production of long-range drones to strike military and other targets in Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Ukrainian defense industry should reach a production rate of 1,000 such drones per day.
According to the president, Ukraine currently produces an average of over 300 long-range drones per day. However, the Ukrainian authorities believe this is insufficient, so they have set a new goal for the defense industry: to increase production to 1,000 drones daily. “The task: 1,000 drones per day for long-range strikes against Russia; currently, we average 300 plus our long-range strikes. There needs to be more. We have a very specific goal, and we will accomplish this task,” Zelenskyy said.
The president also noted that Russia has recently intensified its air strikes on Ukraine. In particular, Russian forces are increasingly using “Shahed” jet drones. Massive strikes regularly target Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and the Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Kyiv regions.
Therefore, Ukraine plans to increase production of interceptor drones in parallel. These are used to combat enemy drones, particularly the new high-speed versions of the “Shahed.” “It is important to significantly accelerate the production of interceptors, specifically to counter such jet-powered Shaheds,” the president said.
Strikes on Russia Are Already Affecting Its Economy
Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s long-range strikes are already creating problems for Russia not only on the military front but also on the economic and logistical fronts. According to him, Russia’s gasoline reserves and exports are dwindling. There are also problems with transportation and fuel supply.
The president specifically noted that Russia has begun importing gasoline and is using budget funds to support oil companies. Thus, Kyiv expects to intensify pressure on the Russian economy through systematic strikes against targets within Russian territory.
Zelenskyy linked the further intensification of such strikes to Moscow’s stance on ending the war. According to him, if Russia continues to refuse normal negotiations, its losses will grow. “Our precision strikes have made Russia more acutely aware of its responsibility for choosing to continue this war,” the president stated. Consequently, Ukraine plans to increase the production of long-range UAVs severalfold—from the current level of over 300 to 1,000 per day. At the same time, the Ukrainian defense industry must ramp up production of interceptors capable of countering Russian strike drones. Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this following a meeting of the High Command.
Ukraine received information from the U.S. regarding the meetings that CIA Director John Ratcliffe held in Moscow in recent days. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the American side for the information provided and stated that Kyiv appreciates Washington’s coordinated actions.
