The US has secretly invested in Ukrainian drone production for the war against Russia, making Ukrainian drones "more effective and deadly".
This is reported by The New York Times, citing anonymous American officials.
In addition to technical support, the US has spent significant funds, including $1.5 billion sent last September, to stimulate drone production in Ukraine.
Jake Sullivan, the US presidentʼs national security adviser, said this support has "real strategic impact" on the war.
“We have seen UAVs become increasingly central to the fight in Ukraine and will be central to all future battles,” Sullivan said.
He also noted that work on drones began after the first counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the fall of 2022, when the limits of Ukraineʼs conventional capabilities became apparent. Work also continued in 2023.
However, the newspaper writes, citing sources, that the 2023 counteroffensive was a “hard lesson” for them, as Russian drones attacked tanks and armored vehicles provided by the US and Europe as they tried to overcome minefields. After that, the US increased support for Ukrainian drone manufacturers.
In addition, Washington also sent intelligence officials to Ukraine to help develop the program and worked to establish ties between American technology companies and Ukrainian drone manufacturers.
- In December 2023, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Ukraine plans to produce one million drones in 2024.
- According to the Ministry of Defense, in 2024, 96.2% of all UAVs for the Defense Forces were Ukrainian drones.
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