“In 2022, we produced one billion, in 2023, we tripled that and produced three billion, and last year, we also tripled it, reaching an annual production of 9 billion dollars in weapons and military equipment,” said Herman Smetanin, Minister for Strategic Industry, during a conference on the sector’s performance.
Missile production in particular has seen a sharp increase, growing eightfold compared to 2023. Ukraine has introduced a new range of cruise missiles and rocket drones, including Palianytsia, Peklo, Ruta, and Bars.
“The year before last, we only had one cruise missile — the Neptun missile… Last year, we introduced many new products, which ensured a production volume eight times greater than in 2023,” Smetanin stated. The minister suggested that the country’s military production capacity could reach $20 billion by the end of 2024.
Further growth is expected in the coming years, with Smetanin predicting capacity could climb to $35 billion by 2025. He also noted that private enterprises contributed significantly to the sector, producing over half of all military equipment in 2024.
Alongside missiles, Ukraine has also increased the output of artillery and mortar ammunition by 2.4 times compared to 2023. The production of self-propelled artillery systems has tripled, with a new towed version of the Bohdana system introduced.
Armoured vehicle production remains limited, currently running at only 50% of capacity. Looking ahead, ground robotic complexes have been identified as a key focus area for development this year.
Oleksandr Kamyshin, presidential adviser on strategic issues, highlighted that Ukraine’s domestic industry now covers a substantial portion of military needs. “According to various estimates, from 30% to 40% of what our front is using in combat is produced in Ukraine,” Kamyshin said.
Source: RBC-Ukraine.
