**Russia Plans to Mass-Produce Drones for Ukraine War**
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is getting a new twist. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia plans to produce millions of drones in 2025 to use against Ukraine.
This is a big deal because both countries are increasingly relying on unmanned systems like drones for reconnaissance and attacks. Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service spokesperson Oleh Aleksandrov told Politico that Russia’s drone production will be heavily dependent on Chinese components.
But here’s the thing: China has been denying any involvement in supplying Russia with key electronics and technologies. However, Aleksandrov claims that Chinese manufacturers are using “shell companies” to avoid being subject to export control and sanctions.
**Russia Aims to Narrow Ukraine’s Drone Advantage**
Aleksandrov warned that this industrial support will allow Moscow to narrow Ukraine’s early advantage in drone innovation. Russia plans to produce 30,000 long-range drones and 30,000 decoy drones in 2025. These decoy drones are designed to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses.
But that’s not all – Russia also aims to produce a whopping 2 million first-person-view (FPV) drones in 2025. FPV drones are small, agile devices often equipped with explosive payloads and have proven highly effective in damaging tanks, artillery, and other high-value targets at low cost.
**Ukraine Responds by Scaling Up Drone Production**
President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this year that Moscow is working to manufacture up to 500 long-range drones per day. In response, Ukraine has dramatically scaled up domestic drone production in 2024 compared to 2023 – a 22-fold increase over 2022.
The Strategic Industries Ministry reported that Ukraine more than doubled its long-range drone output last year. This means that the war between Russia and Ukraine is not only getting more intense but also more technologically advanced.
**What Does It Mean for the War?**
The production of millions of drones by Russia will likely put pressure on Ukrainian air defenses, which have already been strained by Moscow’s nightly drone attacks. These attacks frequently involve Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones that have inflicted heavy damage on cities and infrastructure.
However, Ukraine’s ability to produce more drones in response suggests that the war is becoming a technological cat-and-mouse game between the two countries. The stakes are high, and the consequences of this competition will be felt by civilians on both sides.
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