Russia planning to spend $12 billion next year on jet-powered drone production — Zelenskyy
Russia plans to spend $12 billion next year on jet-powered drones and loitering munitions alone, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his evening video address on Sept. 26, noting that Ukraine currently intercepts 55% of jet-powered Shahed UAVs.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in a video address on September 26 that Russia intends to allocate $12 billion towards the production of jet-powered drones and loitering munitions in the coming year. Currently, Ukraine intercepts 55% of these jet-powered UAVs, according to Zelenskyy. In September, over 2,730 jet-powered Shaheds were identified, with more than 1,500 either shot down or suppressed.
While a significant number of these drones evade defense, Ukraine aims to enhance its interception capabilities. Zelenskyy revealed that Russia's defense preparations have been briefed by military intelligence, detailing the anticipated volumes and funding for next year's drone production. Ukraine is proactively developing countermeasures to neutralize each threat.
Several successful prototype interceptors for Russian jet-powered drones have already demonstrated effectiveness in combat conditions, with plans to scale up production. However, these interceptors are not yet mass-produced. Zelenskyy highlighted that Ukraine intercepts approximately 60% of jet-powered drones, contrasting with a 90-95% interception rate for gasoline-powered drones.
Written by urgent.news from New Voice of Ukraine's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
