Ukrainian defense industry: military expert describes available capacities

He expressed this opinion in the Verdict with Serhiy Rudenko program on Espreso TV channel.

"We are currently building the appropriate approach to the defense industry. Let me remind you that we have preserved our missile enterprises and developed their capabilities. Ukraine has mastered programs that it has never implemented before. For example, Ukraine used to neither develop nor produce anti-aircraft missile systems, but now it does. Ukraine has created a powerful school of aviation, ground and maritime drones," Badrak said.

According to the Director of the Center for Army, Conversion and Disarmament Studies, Ukraine's missile capabilities were demonstrated back in 2014 when the Luch Design Bureau demonstrated the Neptune system, and only in 2016 was the missile program approved.

"Today, it was reported that for the first time, the Shablia ground robotic system has been contracted. As for the ammunition industry, the situation is strange. If we had taken up this industry earlier, there would not have been such a mess. Now we need to catch up with all these capabilities. Military-technical cooperation is becoming more important. An interesting project called FrankenSAM has emerged, which is the adaptation of Soviet-made air defense systems to Western missiles. That is, Ukraine has initial capabilities and a scientific base. The capabilities of Ukrainian designers are extremely high," Badrak emphasized.

• On December 27, Minister of Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin spoke about Ukraine's achievements in the military industry in 2023.
• The German defense company Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft has started construction of an armored vehicle service center in Ukraine.