Ukraine has opened its first defence factory in the United Kingdom — Zaluzhny

Katerina Melnychenko
Katerina Melnychenko Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Ukraine has opened its first defence factory in the United Kingdom — Zaluzhny
Photo by Valery Zaluzhny
The first Ukrainian defence plant has begun operations in the United Kingdom — a production complex owned by Ukrspecsystems, a company specialising in the creation of unmanned systems for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The launch was announced by Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom.

This was reported by The Public, citing a statement by Valery Zaluzhny.

According to the diplomat, opening production outside Ukraine is of strategic importance in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine, as it ensures the continuity of defence production despite the threat of missile strikes and damage to infrastructure.

"This is not a shift of the centre of gravity away from Ukraine. This is an expansion of our joint capabilities and the creation of a second line of defence that guarantees continuity of production," Zaluzhny said.

He stressed that engineering expertise will remain in Ukraine, while production will be integrated into the UK's defence industry. This approach, he said, will contribute to the formation of a common industrial security base.

Zaluzhny also stated that for Ukraine, this project means the possibility of long-term planning and stability of production, and for the UK — the strengthening of the defence industry, the creation of jobs and access to technologies used in Russia's war against Ukraine.

 

Ukrspecsystems is a Ukrainian manufacturer of unmanned aerial systems, founded in 2014. Its developments include the SHARK, PD-2, MINI SHARK and SHARK-M drones, which are used for aerial reconnaissance and special tasks.

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