Ukraine has created five joint ventures with Western arms producers
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Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that Ukraine has already concluded five agreements on joint arms production with leading global companies.
Dozens more such joint ventures will be established this year, Rubryka reports.
"We are collaborating very productively with world-leading arms manufacturers. We can already talk about five concluded contracts and establishing five joint ventures in Ukraine in cooperation with Western arms producers. This work is ongoing. Dozens of such enterprises will be established this year," Shmyhal said.
According to the Ukrainian PM, some of the enterprises Ukraine is creating with partners are kept confidential.
"We do not disclose where they are being established to ensure their security," he said.
The prime minister stressed that many leading arms manufacturers were considering the possibility of being present in Ukraine today, concluding contracts, establishing joint ventures, producing arms, assembling individual components, and carrying out repair work.
"This will significantly strengthen our security component," the head of government said.
Previously, the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusiev said Ukrainian developers had managed to establish the production of analogs of Western combat equipment. This includes analogs of M113, MaxxPro, and Humvee armored vehicles under the names "Lys" (Fox), "Sikach" (Saber), and "Kharakternyk" (Chiseler).
What we know about increasing arms production in Ukraine
Rubryka previously reported that next year, Ukraine plans to significantly increase the production of various types of weapons, prioritizing missiles and ammunition for air defense systems.
As Deputy Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk stated in a broadcast of a national telethon, the defense department, jointly with the Ministry of Strategic Industries, wants to increase the production of missiles, ammunition, arms, and military equipment several times over in 2024.
Ukraine plans to produce 1 million FPV drones, over 10,000 medium-range combat drones, and over a thousand drones with a range of 1,000 km next year.
Ukraine and Belgium also plan to establish joint arms production.
The German arms producer Rheinmetall is negotiating to build a tank plant in Ukraine. Kremlin threats to intensify bombardments of Ukraine will not affect the German arms company's intentions about this construction, according to the Rheinmetall CEO.
The largest Ukrainian armed manufacturer, "The Ukrainian Defense Industry," and the Polish company Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa will produce 125mm tank shells. Ukraine and Poland signed the relevant agreement on April 5 this year.
Ukraine and one of the NATO countries have begun to produce 122mm artillery shells. The first batch of ammunition has already been sent to the front.
Currently, about 300,000 people are involved in the Ukrainian defense industry complex.
"Ukrainian Defense Industry" has signed a memorandum of cooperation with the leading German company Dynamit Nobel Defence. The Ukrainian company will also produce small arms according to NATO standards.
