The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has already concluded 16 state contracts with Ukrainian UAV manufacturers, it is planned to allocate about UAH 20 billion for the purchase of UAVs, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said.

"In 2023, we are increasing the purchase of UAVs for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. We plan to allocate about UAH 20 billion to this segment. This is just the beginning. After all, we are talking not only about the needs of aerial reconnaissance. We are talking about the development of the drone market for a wide range of applications, air-to-ground water. This is about adjusting artillery, and about defeating the enemy (shock drones), and about delivering a second-hand vehicle, evacuating the wounded, and the like," Reznikov said on Facebook

According to him, in total, the Defense Ministry received 75 applications from domestic UAV manufacturers.

Reznikov said joint meetings of representatives of the Defense Ministry, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, domestic developers and manufacturers of UAVs continue. At the last meeting, a number of tasks and steps were identified to improve regulatory procedures.

"These proposals will be discussed today, on January 30, at a meeting of the Coordinating Headquarters for the Development of the Production of Reconnaissance and Attack Drones of Domestic Manufacturers," he said.

The minister also said that in the coming days he plans to personally meet with Ukrainian developers and manufacturers of UAVs "after another very important meeting in the interests of the Defense Forces."