Russia Sharply Boosted Drone Output in May, Think Tank Reports
Emergency services at the site of a Russian drone and missile attack in Kyiv, on June 23.
Photographer: Ori Aviram/AFP/Getty Images
Russia increased combat drone production by almost 17% in May, a think tank reported, sharply accelerating output as President Vladimir Putin continued to reject calls for a ceasefire in his war in Ukraine.
The surge follows the president’s public demand in April for defense manufacturers to speed up drone supplies. While Russian forces received 1.5 million drones of different types in 2024, it was “not enough” to meet battlefield requirements, Putin told officials.