Minister for Strategic Industries, Herman Smetanin, confirmed that Ukraine’s defence sector is actively working on a domestic project. “So far, there are no analogues to the Patriot air defence missile systems on the territory of Ukraine, but our defence industry has a corresponding project, and we are working on it,” he stated during a 2024 defence industry conference.
Alongside the domestic initiative, Ukraine is in discussions with foreign partners to co-produce similar advanced systems. Smetanin noted, “The United States has partners with whom it co-produces these systems. We’ve held a number of negotiations with manufacturers of similar systems, including the Patriot, regarding partial localization of their production in Ukraine.”
The aim is to reduce Ukraine’s dependence on a single external supplier while strengthening its national defence capabilities. These talks, according to the minister, are still in progress and reflect broader efforts to localise defence technologies within Ukraine.
On 6 April, following another Russian air assault, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat reiterated the importance of the Patriot system in current air defence operations. “As of now, only American Patriot systems are capable of performing this function,” Ihnat said.
He also confirmed that Ukrainian forces are working closely with the US to share battlefield data for improving the Patriot system’s performance against ballistic missile threats. This collaboration is seen as critical to enhancing Ukraine’s defensive capabilities in real time.
