– This year, drone production is to increase significantly, tenfold to be precise – he announced. Vladimir Putin during the meeting Military-Industrial Commission in St. Petersburg.
On Thursday, the Russian president visited the headquarters of a defense company called Special Technology Center. There, he was shown prototypes of new models of combat drones and robotic systems. As reported by the Russian government news agency Tass, Putin inspected tracked platforms, reconnaissance systems with an unmanned aerial vehicle and the loitering munitions they use, as well as kamikaze drones.
War in Ukraine. Vladimir Putin announces increase in drone production
During the visit of the president Russia he was also supposed to carry out an inspection Orlan dronesused by the aggressor during the war in Ukraine. Putin was supposed to hear, among other things, about the technical specifications of the drones. He was accompanied by the Minister of Defense Andrei BelousovFirst Deputy Prime Minister Denis ManturowDeputy Head of the Office of the President of Russia Maksym Orieszkin and his advisor Alexey Dyumin.
After visiting a military factory, the Russian leader attended a meeting Military-Industrial Commissionwhere he reported that during the aggression against Ukraine, not only was the production of weapons increased, but thanks to the experience gained on the battlefield, its functionality was improved. – In total, in 2023, the Armed Forces received about 140 thousand unmanned vehicles of various types, Putin pointed out.
– Thanks to the efforts of the industry workers, the production of particularly popular models has been increased many timesand their tactical and technical characteristics have been improved and adapted based on the specifics of combat use, he added.
Putin also said that defense industry enterprises in the country are operating “rhythmically and clearly” and are doing everything to supply soldiers sent to occupied Ukraine as quickly as possible.
War in Ukraine. Kyiv invests in drone production
The Ukrainian military is also counting on drones. In March 2024 Mykhailo FedorovDeputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Digital Transformation, stated that with additional financial support from Western governments, Ukraine could produce two million drones a yearwhich is twice the current production rate.
Ukrainian Ministry of Strategic Industry is working on various types of drones. Since the outbreak of the war, Ukraine has increased domestic weapons production. About 500 state and private companies are involved in this. They produce drones, ammunition, armored vehicles and spare parts, among other things.
Ukraine is also using innovations in terms of drone specifications. These include the so-called dragon droneswhich drop molten metal on Russian positions. In early September, a series of videos appeared on social media showing low-flying drones dropping “streams of fire.”
“Attack drones are our wings of vengeance, raining fire straight from the sky!” – wrote the Ukrainian 60th Mechanized Brigade. They are becoming a “real threat” to Russian soldiers, it added, burning their positions “with a precision that no other weapon can achieve.”