According to Herman Smetanin, Ukraine’s minister of strategic industries, last year Ukraine was able to produce only one cruise missile – the Neptune. However, last year the state launched many new weapons, resulting in a 700% increase in production compared to 2023.
He also mentioned that by the end of 2024, a total of 324 new weapons models worth $9B had been developed in Ukraine. Additionally, long-range drone production increased by over 100% last year compared to 2023 and by 2,100% compared to 2022. The defense industry accounted for 33% of Ukraine’s GDP growth last year.
Concurrently, Ukraine’s defense complex boosted its capabilities by a total of 600% over the past year, reaching $20B. Smetanin highlighted that the Ministry of Strategic Industry and Trade expects to possess sufficient capacity to produce weapons and military equipment worth $35B within Ukraine by the end of this year.
Furthermore, Oleksandr Kamyshin, Advisor to the President of Ukraine on Strategic Issues, noted that between 30% and 40% of what the Armed Forces of Ukraine are currently using is produced domestically in Ukraine.