Production capacities of Ukraine’s defense sector are only 60% loaded, – Zelensky

Ukraine needs additional financing to fully utilize the production capacities of the Ukrainian defense industry.

Ukrainian defense production capacities are only 60% utilized. As an UNIAN correspondent reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated this at a briefing.

The head of state noted that European military assistance to Ukraine is not enough, because if there were enough, the war would have already been ended.

“But I wouldn’t say that we have a big deficit in artillery today. We have it, but we distribute it very correctly. We started producing it ourselves. It’s not bad, the Russians are running on the ceiling, as they say, because they are now hitting our factories, and not just like that,” Zelensky noted.

According to him, Ukraine is working to reduce the artillery shortage.

“We need to close this gap (gap – UNIAN), and this is an important track for us. The second story is drones. Where they can help us more,” the head of state added.

He emphasized that Europeans can provide Ukraine with more funding directly to the Ukrainian private sector.

“This would have helped us a lot. And indeed, it would have helped us. In reality, 2024 was a very difficult year, but, indeed, drones helped a lot. Domestically produced drones, because they became a replacement or alternative to the shortage of artillery shells. We had a large production of drones. I said – we will make a million, one and a half, and we made several million. We have serious results. Twice as much as was promised,” Zelenskyy said.

He noted the importance of the fact that these drones, in a sense, helped stop the Russian occupiers.

“This gives us the opportunity to hold on, but how long can we hold on? – We need our partners to help (us) a little faster,” the president added.

He noted that, for example, today there is determination in the words and voice of the German side. Zelensky very much hopes for strong assistance.

“And there is already funding. And we are also hoping for assistance with air defense and other tools, which we will not (talk about) for now,” Zelenskyy said.

In addition, France and the United Kingdom are helping Ukraine. The countries of Northern Europe – Norway, Sweden, Denmark – are also directly financing the production of drones in Ukraine.

“But we must admit that as for assistance, I think this will be the main answer – our domestic sector is currently loaded with 60% of our capabilities. Only 60%. Today, there is not even funding for 40%. This means that there was 100. There was 10%. Today, we have really expanded very much. And this would greatly help Ukrainian defense capabilities if we found additional funding for all 100% of our production capabilities,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

(c)UNIAN 2025