Ukraine is considering lifting its ban on the export of drones to boost production and attract investments, the Financial Times reported on October 9.
According to the FT, Ukrainian military faces a severe shortage of drones for reconnaissance, protection, and offensive operations. With limited state resources, drone manufacturers are eager to tap into international markets to finance production for Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Oleksandr Marikovskyi, head of the parliamentary subcommittee on the economy, stated that drone exports could generate up to $20 billion, significantly contributing to the sector’s growth.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has restricted the export of military goods to prioritize arming its own forces. However, companies like Ukrspecsystems are now struggling with a lack of orders. Dmitry Khasapov, the company’s CEO, explained that government contracts do not fully utilize their production capacities, and the state does not have the budget to meet all the military’s needs.
Drone manufacturers hope that lifting the export ban would not only attract investments but also support critical research and development in this field.
According to experts, without resuming exports, the prices of Ukrainian drones could rise, while some companies have already begun producing their products abroad to bypass current restrictions.
Earlier, Ukraine launched a grant program aimed to boost missile and gunpowder production. Removing governmental regulations on gunpowder production will boost countrie’s defensive capabilties as well as will make more space for Ukraine business to grow and supply Ukrainian Armed Forces with sufficiet amounts of ammunition and missiles.
