Vladimir Putin announced today that Russia is increasing its production of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) approximately tenfold, reaching 1.4 million this year to ensure the victory of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

“Overall, about 140,000 unmanned aerial vehicles of various types were delivered to the armed forces in 2023,” Putin said. “This year, drone production is planned to increase significantly. To be more precise, nearly 10 times.”

“Whoever responds more quickly to these requirements on the battlefield wins,” Putin said at a meeting in St. Petersburg regarding the development of drone production.

Since Russia sent tens of thousands of soldiers to Ukraine in February 2022, the war has largely been characterized by artillery and drone strikes along a heavily fortified 1,000-kilometer front, involving hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Both Russia and Ukraine have purchased drones from abroad and increased their own production to strike a range of targets, such as artillery and ammunition depots, energy infrastructure, and warships.