Solutions to win: Ukrainian government allocates ₴40 bln for drone production

This year, the Cabinet of Ministers allocated 40 billion hryvnias to produce Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced this during a forum dedicated to the anniversary of the Army of Drones project, Rubryka reports.

"War poses new challenges every day. One of the key ones is military technology. We must be one step ahead of the enemy and protect each of our soldiers. Drones provide such opportunities," the head of government said.

He recalled that a year ago, more than 4 billion hryvnias were collected through UNITED24, which were invested in Ukrainian manufacturers of drones.

"At that time, there were less than a dozen of them. Today there are more than 40 companies that have contracts with the state, and the production of UAVs has increased tenfold," Shmyhal said.

According to him, the government has allocated UAH 40 billion this year for investments in Ukrainian manufacturers of drones.

"We removed customs barriers to import spare parts and complete sets. We raised the share of UAV manufacturers' profits to 25% and also made a decision that will facilitate the mass production of ammunition for drones," he summarized.

What is the Army of Drones?

At the beginning of July 2022, Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the UNITED24 platform began a fundraising campaign to create the "Army of Drones" for the Ukrainian military. The project prioritized purchasing 200 professional unmanned aerial systems for aerial reconnaissance.

Such drones can fly for up to 24 hours at a distance of up to 160 km and an altitude of up to 5 km. They have several thermal imaging cameras, position sensors, and software. They are difficult to notice and even more difficult to shoot down.

The digital ministry and the General Staff plan to use drones to cover the entire front line with a width of about 2,470 km. Drones will allow Ukrainian soldiers to monitor the actions of the Russian occupiers, change military strategies and save as many lives as possible. To help the Armed Forces of Ukraine and join the fundraiser, anyone can donate through the UNITED24 platform or hand their drone to the army.

As reported, for more than 11 months of the existence of the Army of Drones project, UNITED24 purchased 3,864 UAV complexes. The amount of concluded contracts is more than UAH 4.3 billion. Training centers for UAV operators have taught 10,000 soldiers to operate drones.

To help with the project, you can donate or give away your drone. You can support the Ukrainian Armed Forces and join the fundraising campaign from any corner of the world by donating to the UNITED24 platform.

You can send your drone to the warehouse of the project partners — Help Ukraine in Poland or Razom for Ukraine in the USA, and from there, it will be delivered to Ukraine.