Ukraine Deploys New Drones, Highlights Increased Domestic Production

June 11, 2025

A Ukrainian-made drone sits in a field, awaiting operation in an image posted to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's X account. (Image: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine)

The Ukrainian military is deploying newly developed drones while expanding the way its soldiers and leaders purchase and give feedback to manufacturers about the use of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). The new drone deployments and expanded use of a new digital purchasing portal are occurring as Ukraine and Russia have recently unleashed some of their deadliest aerial attacks on each other since the war began more than three years ago.

Russia reportedly launched one of its largest air attacks on Kyiv on June 10, which included the use of 315 strike UAVs and seven total missiles, according to an update posted to the Ukrainian Minister of Defense's X account. The June 10 Russian air attack occurred several days after Ukraine's security service released footage of what it describes as its most successful attack of the conflict that used inexpensive drones to destroy Russian aircraft, weapons and other assets, according to The Associated Press. The attack, called "Operation Spiderweb" by Ukraine, was representative of the advancements in domestic drone and weapons production being made in Ukraine alongside the ongoing assistance they're receiving from other nations.

"Ukrainian air defenders destroyed 284 aerial targets: 2 KN-23 ballistic missiles, 5 Iskander-K cruise missiles, 213 Shahed-type strike drones," Ukraine's military X account said on June 10. "Another 64 UAVs failed to reach their targets."

The aerial attacks by both sides occurred following a busy month in May for Ukraine's Ministry of Defense establishing production agreements with European countries, and providing updates about their deployment of new drones and new ways they're engaging industry to develop new drones. In total, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine claims to have "codified and authorized" over 130 new models of weapons and military equipment for operational use in May.

Approximately 80 percent of those new models of weapons and equipment were domestically manufactured, according to Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Valerii Churkin. Unmanned aerial systems and their munitions, along with vehicles and grenade launchers, make up the majority of the codified items. The latest models of electronic warfare and reconnaissance systems, small arms, and engineering equipment have also been authorized for operational use.

“Unmanned systems are playing an increasingly significant role on the battlefield. The statistics on destroyed enemy targets indicate that drones are no longer an auxiliary asset, but one of the key strike capabilities,” said Valerii Churkin.

According to the Deputy Minister, since the beginning of 2025, nearly 60 different types of unmanned aerial systems with fiber-optic control have been authorized for operational use in the military. In an update posted to its website on May 30, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense described one of their newly deployed drones, the Stalker , as a fiber-optic-controlled first person view (FPV) drone that has "assured resilience against electronic warfare (EW) measures." Developed by Ukraine's TechEx, the drone comes in two different models including the 10-inch Stalker XO-10 and 15-inch Stalker XO-15.

The Stalker drone is one of the latest Ukrainian-made drones to be deployed by Ukraine’s military. (Image: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine)

"One of the key advantages of the Stalker series is its record-low spool weight among Ukrainian fiber-optic drones," Ukraine's MoD said in its Stalker series update. "The drones in this series feature a standardized FPV layout with an unobstructed upper frame, allowing for the mounting of payloads of various shapes. The battery is mounted at the front underside of the frame, improving flight stability through optimal weight distribution around the center of mass."

In another update posted to their website on June 4, the ministry describes another Ukrainian-made drone, the " Chief-1 ," that has been recently codified and authorized for use. Chief-1 is designed to engage enemy aircraft or personnel using a payload module that fires shotgun cartridges. They are capable of firing in both manual and automatic modes. The Chief-1 targets enemy FPV drones, bombers, and specific types of reconnaissance and fire-correction UAVs.

TechEx utilizes proprietary technology and equipment for winding optical fiber, along with advanced systems for control, signal transmission, and telemetry. The manufacturer is currently conducting tests to increase the drones’ operational range to 20 and 25 kilometers.

Ukraine’s main defense agency previously estimated that a total of 420,000 drones have been delivered to their warfighters since the beginning of 2025, according to an April 29 update. That same update noted that Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) has already committed to purchasing 1.52 million drones for the year.

Ukraine has also changed its approach to the way it is engaging industry to develop new drones, purchasing them and providing feedback.

The Ukraine DPA, in a May 29 statement , said that over 128 billion UAH has been allocated in the 2025 state budget specifically for drone procurement. DPA is now engaging drone manufacturers through direct contracts, framework agreements and a new online drone marketplace called "DOT-Chain Defense." Rolled out in February, the marketplace initially is only allowing verified manufacturers of FPV drones to submit their drone dimensions and performance specifications for consideration to be purchased.

Individual Ukrainian military units use the system to buy the drones of their choosing and provide real-time feedback about the use of newly purchased drones in warfare back to the manufacturers.

“The marketplace format will enable all manufacturers of codified products to offer their products through transparent market mechanisms, with the military directly choosing the drones they need via the DOT-Chain Defence platform. Additionally, the system features a pre-order function that enables companies to clearly understand the demand for their products,” commented Arsen Zhumadilov, Director of the DPA.

During his participation at a security forum held in Singapore recently, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksandr Kozeno, said Ukraine has significantly advanced its domestic drone production.

“Ukraine has taken its drone capabilities to a new level, driving innovation in air, land, and sea applications. “Ukraine’s defense industry is currently capable of producing 10 million drones per year across multiple categories.”

The article features materials published by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine to its website. It has been edited for clarity.