Ukraine did not have its own long-range missiles, but its drones struck Russian targets more than 1,500 kilometers from the border. The Ukrainian Navy was unable to confront the enemy in the Black Sea either, but the Kremlin Fleet … Strategic losses were incurred thanks to unmanned systems. David continues to challenge Goliath from the technological trenches with a host of entrepreneurs and engineers who have changed the nature of war. Just a few months before the fourth anniversary of the full-scale war, Ukrainian authorities announced the resumption of “controlled” arms exports. Noting, of course, that the sales will take place as long as they do not endanger the arsenal of its armed forces. The National Security and Defense Council stated last Thursday that unmanned systems – air, land and sea – will be the first to be marketed.
The weapons that Kiev will sell to the allies have the advantage of having been tested in real war and proven effective, which also adds the potential for continuous innovation. “It is the best time to revitalize our market and show that we are not just an agricultural country. Currently, we are the manufacturer of the best drone and electronic warfare solutions. He points out to this newspaper: “We particularly excel in the field of artillery systems.” Igor FederkoExecutive Director of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Council.
Arms produced in Ukraine will be sold on four continents. “We already have agreements on four export platforms: the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa,” Zelensky said weeks ago. Ukraine’s return to international markets is due to the need to obtain financing to cover its own needs, maintain production and the ability to invest in long-term capabilities.
In 2022, the invaded country was the world’s third-largest arms importer thanks to military aid from the United States and Europe, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The president said that in 2025, nearly 60% of weapons used on the front will be manufactured locally. Volodymyr Zelenskylast September. The Ukrainian president estimates that potential production of drones and missiles alone will reach more than 30 billion euros in 2026. The catchphrase of “making a virtue of necessity” is an indisputable truth in the Ukrainian case.
Relentless innovation
The astonishing transformation and expansion of the Ukrainian defense industry has been driven by the urgency of the most brutal conflict on European soil since World War II. “Before 2022, we only had five private companies, but they were completely under government control. We now have more than 800 companies. If we add part of our R&D companies and start-ups, we are talking about more than fifteen hundred companies capable of producing more than 3,500 products.”
Ukraine had to devise a formula for its defense industry so it could stand up to a larger, more resourceful enemy army that had been preparing for war for years. Some of the country’s major brigades already have their own innovation lab and are coordinating with manufacturers.
Production is carried out under the added stress and pressure of daily Russian attacks. Quick solutions and constant innovation are the prescription that NATO allies, deeply rooted in an outdated bureaucracy, will have to implement sooner or later.
“The pace of technological development here is unparalleled, neither in Europe nor globally. Our defense technologies arise from an immediate need and are directly shaped by the reality of the battlefield, where research and development cycles are measured not in months or years, but in days. Through Brave 1, a platform launched by the Ukrainian government in 2023 to coordinate innovation and production of military technology, they assert that “Ukraine can help NATO countries implement this approach.”
“In today’s war, new technology can remain effective on the battlefield for only three to six months. Ukrainian defense technology constitutes a fast, adaptable and innovative ecosystem. It combines state coordination, military feedback and private sector creativity to produce technologies that are tested and improved in real combat,” they explained from the ABC’s government platform.
Ukrainian solutions
On September 10, about twenty Russian drones entered the airspace of Poland, a NATO member state. To respond to the threat, F-35 and F-16 fighter jets were deployed and Patriot air defense systems were activated. Some Russian planes were shot down, but at a heavy economic cost
The Ukrainian president said at the time that the price of one Patriot missile ranged between two and three million dollars, while the cost of an attack drone was about 100,000 dollars. The raids have not stopped, showing that Polish and NATO defense is not a sustainable model in 2025.
Kyiv has extensive experience in shooting down and intercepting kamikaze drones. Up to 800 aircraft were launched over Moscow in one night. “Interceptor drones are a top priority for Ukrainian defense technology. “They have the potential to become the next big technological breakthrough, just as FPV and maritime drones transformed the battlefield in 2023, and fiber-optic drones did in 2024,” Brave 1 explains.
2025 is also the year of unmanned ground vehicles. Devices are common on communication lines. They are used in a so-called “forward annihilation zone” covering several kilometers filled with drones monitoring any movement. Robots help with logistics, evacuating the wounded, and even offensive missions. “A large part of our army consists of civilians who have decided to defend the country. For this reason, we also focus on training and education in the field of new technologies, such as drone interception,” adds the Director of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Council.
One of Ukraine’s biggest disadvantages compared to Russia is its demographics. Invading forces have more soldiers than defenders and innovations try to make up for this deficiency. “We do not have enough forces to fight the enormous Russian machine. Therefore, the first thing we think about is replacing as many people as possible with drones and unmanned systems.
Danish model
The first two Ukrainian arms sales offices will open in Berlin and Copenhagen this year. Zelensky asserts that the two capitals will be the main headquarters for export and joint production of “salable” weapons.
Denmark and Ukraine have already developed a joint drone production project based in the EU member state. The Russian Defense Minister said: “There are great prospects for cooperation with European partners within the framework of the “Drone Wall” initiative to coordinate the response to Russian drone incursions.” Dennis ShmyhalThis occurred during the signing of the agreement last October.
The National Security Council of Ukraine stressed that this constitutes supervised marketing within the list of allied countries. Officials in the country say that the first countries to be included will be those that have signed security agreements with Kiev.
“It is time for us, Ukrainians, to protect our key allies by sharing our knowledge and experience with them,” he says. Igor Federko.
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