Ukraine confirms it will produce 10 million drones in 2026, rising to 20 million, as it signs a massive $1.1 billion 'drone deal' with the EU

Date:
Sun, 19 Jul 2026 11:05:00 +0000

Description:
Kyiv expands drone manufacturing ambitions after battlefield successes, international funding, and plans to become a leading global producer.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Ukraine plans millions of
drones annually after dramatic production growth claims European $1.1 billion funding strengthens Kyivs push for expanded drone manufacturing capacity Ukraines battlefield experience accelerates demand for larger drone
production Ukraine says its drone manufacturing capacity has expanded to 10 million units annually, with plans already underway to double production to
20 million.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the report, claiming that Ukraine has already surpassed its earlier objective of producing one million drones annually, despite widespread skepticism. "I remember when I first publicly announced the state's plan: 1 million drones per year," Zelensky said. "There was a lot of skepticism everywhere both inside and outside... We make 10 million drones a year. Ten, and it will be 20." Latest Videos From Watch full video here: Production ambitions expand alongside European support Zelensky said achieving this next production milestone would depend upon continued cooperation with international partners supporting Ukraine's expanding
defense manufacturing sector.

The announcement coincided with a new defense cooperation arrangement between Ukraine and the European Union valued at $1.1 billion, placing drone production at the center of Kyiv's long-term military planning. You may like Ukraine wants to be the biggest drone and robot producer worldwide US buys 2000 F-Drones F10 attack UAVs from Ukraine as the Pentagon moves to its next phase Ukraine becomes the first country to scale long-distance remote-controlled interceptor drones

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed the new defense-industrial arrangement known as the Drone Deal

The agreement builds upon earlier efforts already underway between Ukraine
and its European partners in the defense sector. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said six separate agreements have already been completed under the Drone Deal framework.

He also claims that more than 20 countries are working toward joining the
same cooperation model, potentially expanding financial backing and
industrial participation beyond current European partners. Drone warfare drives industrial expansion Ukraine's growing production goals follow extensive battlefield reliance on unmanned systems throughout the conflict, where drones have increasingly supported surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision strike operations. What to read next Ukraine reveals secret strike squadron of civilian planes transformed into deadly reusable drone bombers 'Half a million hours of Ukraine conflict drone footage' to be used to train and deploy new AI models for autonomous targeting drone swarms Price of record-breaking Ukraine AI FPV drone slashed to $500 as range increases sixfold to 68 miles

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukrainian forces struck more than 800,000 verified Russian targets during 2026 using drones alone.

Those targets included personnel, artillery, air defense systems, multiple-launch rocket systems, headquarters, transport assets, depots, electronic warfare equipment, and ground robotic systems.

Fedorov also stated those operations contributed to about 167,000 Russian troops being killed or seriously wounded during the same period.

However, such battlefield figures remain difficult to verify independently during active conflict.

Beyond immediate military requirements, Ukrainian officials have repeatedly described much broader ambitions for domestic manufacturing.

They argue that the country could eventually become the world's largest producer of drones and robotic systems.

Ukraines drone production output could exceed that of China, Russia, and the United States put together, surpassing 30 million units annually within several years .

Whether Ukraine achieves these production goals will depend on financing, manufacturing capacity, component access, and continued international
support.

However, recent announcements suggest Ukrainian officials believe drone
output has already surpassed expectations set only a few years ago.

Via Interfax (originally in Ukrainian) Follow TechRadar on Google News and
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/ukraine-confirms-it-will-produce-10-million-dron es-in-2026-rising-to-20-million-as-it-signs-a-massive-usd1-1-billion-drone-dea l-with-the-eu


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