Ukraine set out to build 1 million drones in 2024 and ended up with 1.5 million. That is the figure Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, a former deputy chief of the General Staff, gave in January 2025. “Drone production has seen a significant boost,” he said, “while the initial goal was one million units, 1.5 million were produced.”
Domestic factories supplied over 96% of the military UAVs used last year, according to Euromaidan Press.
How the target moved
The goal crept up through the year. In February 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov spoke of 1 million drones annually, with roughly 90% of battlefield drones made at home. By October 1, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was telling reporters Ukraine would “produce a total of 1.5 million drones by the end of the year.”
Zelenskyy went further the same day. Ukraine, he said, can produce 4 million drones annually, and 1.5 million units were already under contract. Shmyhal also pointed out that weapons output in the country tripled during 2023, and said Kyiv was working with allies to widen supplies and domestic manufacturing.
What the output buys
Romanenko tied the numbers to results on the ground. January 2025 brought record strike activity against Russian territory, he said, including an operation on January 14 that used “over 200 systems, including drones and missiles.” The military’s two priorities, in his words, are “halting Russia’s advance” and “escalating strikes on strategic targets deep within Russian territory.”
For 2025, Shmyhal set a floor of at least 30,000 long-range drones. He added a target of about 3,000 cruise missiles and missile drones.
Sources
- Ukraine's Drone Production Reaches Historic Milestone (Ukraine hits peak strike rate on Russia as drone output tops 1.5 million)
- Ukraine's drone production capabilities (LIGA.net and Ukrainska Pravda)
