Global
Amid ongoing challenges facing Kyiv in the advanced military manufacturing sector, outgoing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged real obstacles hindering the production of drones designed to intercept the latest Russian unmanned aerial vehicles, highlighting that a severe shortage of engines is the main factor behind this crisis. During a press interview with the Financial Times, Zelenskyy emphasized that the technical race to counter Russian drones is encountering extreme difficulties linked to the lack of engines required for Ukrainian interceptor drones. He explained that his country relies on importing a large number of engines while producing some locally, stressing at the same time that these solutions remain insufficient to cover actual field needs. This acknowledgment comes as an extension of previous statements made by Ukrainian Defense Minister's advisor Serhii Beskrestnov in August, when he admitted his country's lag behind Russia in the drone development race, pointing out Kyiv's inability so far to innovate an interceptor drone capable of confronting jet-powered drones.
