Drone coalition mobilizes over $2 billion to boost Ukraine's defense, ministry says

The drone coalition has received over 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) in assistance from partners in the first year of its operation, the Defense Ministry announced on March 5.

The allied initiative, co-headed by the U.K. and Latvia, was launched in January 2024 to bolster Ukraine’s arsenal of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which became a crucial capability on the battlefield. Nearly 20 countries joined the coalition as of late 2024.

“The main goal of the coalition is to provide the Ukrainian Defense Forces with drones and strengthen the defense industry of Ukraine and partner countries to create a technological advantage over… (Russia) in the long term,” the statement read.

Kyiv employs long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields, oil refineries, and logistical hubs.

On Feb. 9, the Defense Ministry launched the “Drone Line” initiative to accelerate drone deployment on the battlefield.

Ukraine has also developed long-range missile-drone hybrids, such as the Palianytsia and Peklo models, featuring turbojet engines as alternatives to cruise missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a target of producing at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.

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The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post