Nearly 60% of the weapons used by Ukrainian forces are now domestically produced, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Saturday.
“During this war, Ukraine has already reached the level where nearly 60% of the weapons we have, weapons in the hands of our warriors, are Ukrainian-made, and they are strong weapons, many of them cutting-edge,” Zelenskyy said.
In recent weeks, Kyiv has showcased several domestic production initiatives, including the launch of the country’s first joint drone production line in Denmark.
On September 4, Ukrainian defense firm Fire Point announced the development of two new ballistic missiles and air defense systems. This comes just weeks after the company began serial production of its Flamingo cruise missile.
Zelenskyy noted that while Ukraine can now meet most battlefield needs, it still lacks advanced air defenses: “Of course, there are goals we must still achieve, in particular, the production in Ukraine and together with Ukraine of air defense systems, of different types. It’s a challenge. And we must get there as well,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Western allies to supply Ukraine with air defense weapons, including U.S.-made Patriot missile systems. In July, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a NATO mechanism allowing European states to buy U.S. weapons, including Patriots, for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv is working to secure additional contributions to that program in the coming weeks.
