Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed his confidence on Wednesday in his incoming government’s ability to increase the proportion of domestically manufactured weapons to 50% within six months. This comes as part of Zelenskiy’s recent political reshuffle, with Yulia Svyrydenko nominated as the new prime minister and Denys Shmyhal as the proposed new defense minister.
These nominations, pending parliamentary approval, coincide with diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing conflict with Russia, now in its fourth year. Ukraine is also aiming to revitalize its struggling economy and bolster its domestic arms industry. Zelenskiy, along with Shmyhal and outgoing defense minister Rustem Umerov, agreed during a meeting that the defense ministry would play a larger role in arms production.
Currently, Ukrainian-made weapons account for around 40% of those utilized in military operations. Zelenskiy emphasized the need to increase this percentage to 50% within the first six months of the new government by expanding domestic production capabilities. The president has consistently highlighted the importance of enhancing domestic weapon production and fostering partnerships with Western countries.
The focus is on drone production and enhancing air defense systems to counter escalating Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian territory. Zelenskiy has emphasized the significance of developing drone interceptors to effectively combat drone swarms. To this end, Kyiv’s military authorities recently allocated $6.2 million for a drone interceptor program to safeguard the capital from Russian drone threats.
