Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is confident that the new government will be able to increase the share of locally produced weapons to 50% within the next six months, Reuters reported.
Zelensky has nominated Yulia Svyrydenko, the main promoter of the mineral deal with the United States, as the next Prime Minister. Incumbent Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has been promoted to the post of Defense Minister. The rotation, which still needs parliamentary approval, comes at a time when diplomatic efforts to stop Russian aggression have failed and Ukraine is trying to revive its economy and create an arms industry in the country.
Zelensky said that during a meeting on the 16th of July, he had agreed with Shmyhal and the incoming Defense Minister, Rustem Umerov, to give the Defense Ministry greater influence in the field of weapons production. “Ukrainian-made weapons now make up about 40% of those used at the front and in our operations. This is already significantly more than at any time in our country’s independence.
The production volumes are truly large, but we need more.
Our goal is to reach 50% Ukrainian-made weaponry within the first six months of the new government, by expanding our domestic production. I am confident this is achievable, though not easy,” the president said.
Zelensky has long emphasized the need for a strong arms industry and the need to build cooperation in their production with Western countries.
Military officials in Kiev last week announced the allocation of 6.2 million dollars for a drone interception program to protect the capital’s skies from Russian attacks.
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