Ukrainian intelligence: Russia plans to produce 1,300 Shahed drones by the end of 2023
The Russian Federation has already started setting up the production of domestic drones and plans to produce 1,300 Shahed drones by the end of 2023.
Ukraine's defense intelligence spokesperson, Vadym Skibitskyi, stated this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
After the latest attacks by Shahed drones, military intelligence discovered elements in them that indicate that the final stage of refurbishing these UAVs is already taking place on the territory of the Russian Federation. This is evidenced by the increased number of Russian parts in drones.
"We know the aggressor's plans to expand Shahed production on the territory of the Russian Federation. At the same time, at one of the Russian defense industry exhibitions, it was announced that Moscow wants to master approximately 60 UAVs of various modifications by 2030," Skibitskyi said.
The intelligence representative also said that Russia is working to establish a powerful production of unmanned aerial vehicles on its territory.
"We are working to understand where exactly UAVs are manufactured (since more than one company is involved in the production of drones and parts for them) and the actual production capacity," Skibitskyi emphasized.
The intelligence officer noted that preliminary military intelligence data indicate that the Russian Federation plans to produce 1,300 Shahed drones, so-called Geran-2, in the second half of this year.
"The Russians can use components of both foreign and domestic production. At the same time, they cannot produce such a large number of UAVs today," said the spokesperson.
Skibitskyi believes that the success of the Russians' plans will depend on how powerfully Ukraine will work in tandem with its partners regarding sanctions.
"We are sharing information with them to determine and close the ways of supplying components, equipment, machines, and software to the territory of Russia, which are used specifically for the production of UAVs. These plans will depend on a successful kinetic action on those objects that are involved in the production of these drones in the Russian Federation," said the representative.
As reported, the Security Service of Ukraine detained a Russian agent who was adjusting the fire of the Russian Grad launchers and Shahed drones at Kherson.
The American publication uncovered internal documents about the plant's work to produce Iranian drones in the Alabuga Special economic zone in Russian Tatarstan. According to the plan, more than 4,000 kamikaze drones should be produced by 2025.
US intelligence believes that the completion of the construction of the Shahed drone factory in Russia may have a significant impact on the war in Ukraine.
Earlier, the Center of National Resistance, with reference to the Belarusian underground, reported that the Russians wanted to produce Shahed kamikaze drones in Belarus. For this purpose, Iranian engineers visited the country on a working mission.
