Ukraine leads free world in self-propelled artillery production – Prime Minister

This announcement came from Ukraine's Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal.

According to Shmyhal, state and private sector investments have increased Ukraine's defense industry capacity sixfold.

"More than 800 state and private companies are active in the defense sector. Over 1,000 weapon and equipment models are approved for use, with half of them produced in Ukraine," he said.

In drone production, domestic manufacturers account for over 96%. This year alone, the "Army of Drones" project facilitated the purchase of more than 1.2 million drones.

"Ukraine produces more self-propelled artillery systems than any country in the free world," Shmyhal added.

He also highlighted progress in the missile program and the development of long-range Ukrainian weapons.

Through the "Danish model," Ukraine's partners purchased nearly $1 billion worth of weapons from local enterprises.

Shmyhal further outlined other areas where Ukraine made strides this year:

Financial Stability: Priority expenditures were fully funded. The Ukraine Facility program attracted $50 billion from frozen Russian assets.

"For the first time, Ukraine completed six IMF program reviews in a single year, receiving nearly $10 billion," Shmyhal noted.

Energy: Partners' funds helped restore energy facilities and expand electricity import capabilities.

Restoration and Demining: In 2024, 155 schools, 124 medical facilities, and 640 infrastructure projects were rebuilt.

"Under the Reconstruction ("єВідновлення") program, over 46,000 families received UAH 4.7 billion for damaged housing, while UAH 4.4 billion in housing certificates went to 2,800 families," he said.

Sappers inspected over 315,000 hectares of potentially mined farmland, returning 265,000 hectares to use.

Social Support: Shmyhal highlighted the Winter Support ("Зимова єПідтримка") program, pension indexation, and frozen heating tariffs.

Education and Medicine: Shelters were built, free meals provided for primary school students, and the New Ukrainian School reform continued. In healthcare, more than 2.3 million people used the "Affordable Medicines" program this year.

Business Support: Programs like "National Cashback" and "Made in Ukraine" were launched, and 15,000 families received preferential mortgages through the Housing ("єОселя") program.

European Integration: Pre-accession talks with the EU began, and external screening of Ukrainian laws for compliance with EU standards was completed for the first negotiation cluster.

Digitalization: "Diya" reached 22 million users with over 30 services in the app and 120 on the portal, ranking Ukraine fifth globally in digital state service development.

"In 2024, we launched e-Entrepreneur ("е-Підприємець") services, the Mriya educational platform, Diya reservation, online marriage, and uResidency," Shmyhal said.

• On December 21, he announced that starting January 1, Ukraine would halt the transit of Russian gas through its territory.