Zelenskyy says 60% of Ukrainian forces’ weapons domestically produced

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that nearly 60 per cent of the weapons now used on the front line against Russia are domestically produced.

“During this war, Ukraine has already reached the level where nearly 60 per cent of the weapons in the hands of our warriors are Ukrainian-made. They are strong weapons, many of them cutting-edge,” Zelenskyy said in an address late on Saturday, 6 September.

The announcement comes as Ukraine rapidly expands its defence industry to reduce reliance on foreign arms. On 4 September, defence firm Fire Point unveiled two new ballistic missiles and air defence systems, just weeks after its Flamingo cruise missile entered serial production. Kyiv has also launched its first joint drone production line in Denmark.

In its 2025 budget, Ukraine has allocated Hr 55 billion ($1.3 billion) to defence manufacturing, with a focus on scaling air defence capabilities. “Of course, there are goals we must still achieve, in particular, the production in Ukraine and together with Ukraine of air defence systems of different types. It’s a challenge, and we must get there as well,” Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine continues to push for Western assistance, especially US-made Patriot missile systems. In July, NATO and the US announced an agreement enabling European partners to purchase American weapons, including Patriots, for Ukraine through NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). Zelenskyy said Kyiv is now working to secure further contributions to the programme.

The progress marks a sharp rise in Ukraine’s defence production. Back in April, Zelenskyy noted that just over 40 per cent of frontline weapons were domestically produced — a figure that has since climbed to nearly 60 per cent.

With IANS inputs