Ukrainian government allocates over $128 mln for combat drones

On March 18, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to allocate an additional ₴5 billion ($128.2 million) to purchase drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. 

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced the decision on Telegram, Rubryka reports.

"We continue to support the Ukrainian army in the fight against the Russian aggressor," said Shmyhal. "The funds will be used to purchase drones necessary for our defenders on the front lines." 

The prime minister emphasized that every penny that comes into the state budget in the form of taxes will go toward strengthening defense capabilities.

Earlier, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi stated after visiting the positions of the Ukrainian soldiers on the Zaporizhzhia front that "combat drones are gradually becoming the main striking weapon of ground units in overall military combat.

According to him, the confrontation between drones and electronic warfare has come to the fore, and only those who can achieve an advantage in this competition will have a chance of victory.

On March 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated after military consultations that Ukraine would use drones to strike at "the most vulnerable enemy positions."

After visiting one of the defense industry enterprises in March, Zelensky said Ukraine was strengthening its "long-range force" daily. He did not provide details because "we do not officially talk about such things."

Ukraine is seeking to increase its own production of weapons to reduce dependence on supplies from Western partners. In early February, the Ukrainian government adopted three resolutions regarding the work of the defense industry complex, which relate to procurement, ammunition production, and drone production pricing.