Ukraine opens first drone production factory in UK
Ukraine’s first drone production factory went into operation in Suffolk on Wednesday in support of the UK’s defense industry.
Ukrainian firm Ukrspecsystems started work on Wednesday after investing £200 million on sites in Mildenhall and Elmsett; It is expected to create up to 500 British jobs at these sites and across the wider UK supply chain.
Minister for Defense Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard said: “Ukrspecsystems’ new factory is a vote of confidence in the UK’s support and underlines the deepening cooperation between our countries’ defense industries.
“This investment will create up to 500 new jobs in the East of England, strengthen defense as an engine of growth and help Ukraine defend itself against Putin’s aggression.”
The UK had previously ordered more than 80 SHARK and Mini-SHARK drones from Ukrspecystems’ factories in Ukraine and hailed the opening of the facility as a “clear demonstration” of 100 Years of Partnership between the two countries.
Founded in 2014, the company produces various drones that have caused almost $3 billion in damage to Putin’s war machine since February 2022, according to the UK defense ministry.
Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Valerit Zaluzhnyi said on Wednesday that the facility represents an expansion of cooperation between the two countries.
“Ukraine is fighting a war amid constant missile attacks, infrastructure destruction and threats to production facilities. Therefore, there is a deep strategic logic in starting production in the UK,” he said on social media.
“This is not a shift of the center of gravity away from Ukraine. This is an expansion of our joint capabilities and the creation of a second line of defense that guarantees the continuity of production.”
The center of engineering expertise will remain in Ukraine, but production will be integrated into the UK’s defense industry, Zaluzhnyi said.
Ukraine’s defense industry grew rapidly during the four-year war with Russia. It is estimated that production capacity will be 50-55 billion dollars this year and will meet more than 50% of the needs of the Ukrainian army.
Kiev is also preparing to restart exports of materials and services for the first time in four years.
Davyd Aloian, deputy secretary of Kyiv’s National Security and Defense Council, said last week that the country could export goods and services worth several billion dollars in 2026, a potential “significantly higher” than pre-war exports allowed.
In the UK, it is working in partnership with British Eagle Eye Innovations Ltd and Digital Concepts Engineering Ltd as part of the 1Force consortium, Ukrspecsystems said on its website.
