Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that Russia has planned to increase its drone production tenfold this year, to nearly 1.4 million units. to ensure victory in Ukraine, Reuters reported, BTA reported.
"A total of about 140,000 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types were delivered to the armed forces in 2023," Putin said. "This year, the production of drones is planned to be increased significantly", specifically nearly 10 times, he said.
"Whoever reacts faster to these needs on the battlefield wins," Putin said in St. Petersburg at a meeting to develop the production of drones. In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, and since then hundreds of thousands of troops along the heavily fortified 1,000-kilometer front have been engaged in a war that has largely boiled down to exchanging artillery fire and carrying out drone strikes, Reuters notes.
Both Russia and Ukraine purchase drones from abroad and have increased their own production to achieve a range of goals ranging from destroying artillery and ammunition to striking energy infrastructure and warships.