Ukraine’s defense industry remains hugely underutilized — Chmut
The Ukrainian defense industry is rapidly expanding and could become a major global player, but only 30% of its maximum capacity is currently being used, Taras Chmut, head of the Come Back Alive foundation, said on Dec. 19.
“If we talk about the defense industry, it is clear that it's revived and growing significantly each year,” Chmut said at NV’s annual event Ukraine and the World Ahead.
“There is potential for Ukraine to become a leader in sectors such as aerial, ground, and maritime drones, armored vehicles, communications, and electronic warfare systems after the war.”
He explained that while Ukraine might not produce the best weapons, they will offer the best value in terms of cost-effectiveness and will be battle-tested.
At the same time, Chmut cautioned that limited state and donor funding means that a great deal of defense industrial capacity in Ukraine remains untapped.
“The defense industry's current load is about 30% due to limited funding,” he continued.
“The state has to distribute these resources across various components. While some procurement is made, we need much more.”
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