Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal speaks as he meets Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 19, 2023. (REUTERS File Photo)
Ukraine has increased its drone production a hundredfold in the past year following the invasion by Russia, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Two hundred companies alone have started developing new combat drones, media reports quoted him as saying in Kiev on Saturday.
"Now the progress of a drone from development to purchase is as short as possible," Shmyhal said. He added that Ukraine's defence industry had radically changed its approach and the state arms company Ukroboronprom had been modernized.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the advantage in the drone war has changed several times.
While Ukraine initially dominated thanks to drones from the Turkish manufacturer Bayraktar, Russia later caused severe damage with the mass-produced Iranian Shahed drones.
Both sides have small reconnaissance and attack drones flying above the battlefield so that no movement goes unnoticed.
Drone attacks as far away as Moscow in recent months show that Ukraine is now building longer-range craft, even if the explosive load carried is still small.
