The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umierov announced that the the Swedish government will finance the production of Ukrainian long-range drones as part of military assistance.
Thus, the country will join the ‘Danish model’ of supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities. According to Rustem Umierov, he agreed on this with his counterpart, Defense Minister Paul Johnson, during a working visit to Sweden. During the meeting, the officials also discussed plans for financing assistance to Ukraine for 2025.
“We are working to ensure that this support is even greater and meets the real needs of our defenders,”
said the Ukrainian minister.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine emphasized that special attention had been paid to equipping the brigades of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
In November, Ukraine and Denmark signed a series of implementation agreements for the purchase of Ukrainian-made weapons for the Ukrainian army worth $629 million.
The ‘Danish model’ means that Ukraine offers specific weapons for purchase and projects that are reviewed and evaluated by the Danish authorities before they receive support and funds are allocated, including those of the countries that have joined this format. The procedures have also been established to monitor projects.
This format will provide direct financing for production in Ukraine, which will allow for faster production and delivery of the necessary weapons for the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
Dollars and timelines were not revealed during the announcement, made by Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson as he hosted his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov. But the move shows that Stockholm is dedicated to supporting Ukraine for the long-haul.
“This will be produced in Ukraine by the Ukrainian defense industry. It will be financed by Sweden. President [Vladimir] Zelenskyy has stated that there is an especially high demand for funding long-range weapons and long-range drones,”
Jonson said at a press briefing Friday at Karlsberg Palace in Solna.
Ukrainian Lyutyi strike drone. November 2024. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine
As President Volodymyr Zelenskyi recently announced, Ukraine plans to produce at least 30,000 long-range drones next year.
Ukrainian-made strike drones are already capable of covering more than a thousand kilometers to hit important military and economic targets of the aggressor country Russia. Therefore, an increase in the production of such drones will enable the Ukrainian Defense Forces to strike even more intensively at the invaders’ territory.
Top Photo: Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov with Swedish counterpart Pål Jonson
Sources: MILITARNYI; Breaking Defense