Read in English Share Source: The New York Times
As The New York Times learned, Ukrainian specialists have made an important breakthrough in the production of combat drones capable of operating without Chinese components.
Main theses:
- Ukraine's main achievement is that import substitution has already taken place.
- Ukrainian companies have already been selected to participate in the Pentagon's “drone dominance” program.
What is known about progress in the production of Ukrainian drones?
Significant progress in this area has been achieved thanks to the localization of the production of key boards and parts, which until recently were imported from China.
This is what allowed Ukraine to finally reduce its dependence on external suppliers during a critical period on the battlefield.
According to journalists, work is in full swing every day in the basement workshops of Ukrainian companies on printed circuit boards and components for small attack drones.
Dozens of engineers and technicians — the best in their field — are involved in this process.
What is important to understand is that in 2025, most of these boards were not produced in Ukraine, so they had to be purchased from China. However, now the situation has changed dramatically.
A statement on this occasion was made by Robert “Magyar” Brovdy, Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine.
According to him, as of today, it is strike UAVs that account for over 90% of the losses of Russian forces at the front.
He also emphasized that localization of production makes it possible to continue their production even if supplies from China cease.