Zelenskyy holds meeting on drone production plans for 2024

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday held a meeting with military and government officials on drone production plans for 2024.

“We revised and specified production plans for all types of drones this year, including FPV (first-person view), bombers, reconnaissance, and long-range drones for special missions,” Zelenskyy said on X.

Zelenskyy said he and the officials discussed how to ensure the flexibility of Ukraine’s defense industry, adding that needs on the front line are constantly changing and thus manufacturers “must respond in a timely manner.”

He said important decisions were made to “streamline procurement procedures and component imports, increase the production of charges for drones, and train operators.”

“Another decision is the project to build an integrated electronic warfare control system to protect our warriors and equipment from Russian UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). It is already being tested in certain areas. We intend to scale it up to the entire front,” he added.

During an end-of-year press conference in December, Zelenskyy said Ukraine will produce 1 million drones next year, and will do “everything to make it happen.”​​​​​​​

Kyiv has turned heavily to homegrown drone technology as it battles advances by Russia, which launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine more than two years ago.