Ukraine opens first drone manufacturing manufacturing facility in UK | EUROtoday

On Feb 26, 2026

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The first Ukrainian drone manufacturing manufacturing facility began operations in Suffolk on Wednesday in a lift for Britain’s defence trade.

Ukrainian agency Ukrspecsystems began work on Wednesday after investing £200m into websites in Mildenhall and Elmsett, anticipated to create as much as 500 British jobs on the websites and the broader UK provide chain.

Luke Pollard, minister for defence readiness and trade, stated: “Ukrspecsystems’ new factory is a vote of confidence in UK support and underlines the deepening cooperation between our nations’ defence industries.

“This investment will create up to 500 new jobs in the East of England, drive defence as an engine for growth, and help Ukraine defend itself against Putin’s aggression.”

The UK has beforehand ordered over 80 SHARK and Mini-SHARK drones from Ukrspecystems’ factories in Ukraine, and hailed the plant opening as a “clear demonstration” of the 100 Year Partnership between the 2 nations.

Zaluzhnyi said the centre of engineering expertise would remain in Ukraine while production would be integrated into Britain's defence industry — Zaluzhnyi stated the centre of engineering experience would stay in Ukraine whereas manufacturing can be built-in into Britain’s defence trade (Valerii Zaluzhnyi / X)

The agency, based in 2014, produces a wide range of drones, which have precipitated virtually $3 billion in harm to Putin’s warfare machine since February 2022, in keeping with the British ministry of defence.

Valerit Zaluzhnyi, the Ukrainian ambassador to Britain, stated on Wednesday the plant represented an enlargement of cooperation between the 2 nations.

“Ukraine is fighting a war amid constant missile strikes, infrastructure destruction and threats to production facilities. Therefore, the launch of production in the UK has a deep strategic logic,” he stated on social media.

Zaluzhnyi, a former commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, said the producer, Ukrspecsystems, founded in 2014, had proved the efficiency of its drones on the frontline — Zaluzhnyi, a former commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, stated the producer, Ukrspecsystems, based in 2014, had proved the effectivity of its drones on the frontline (Valerii Zaluzhnyi / X)

“This is not a shift of the centre of gravity away from Ukraine. It is an expansion of our joint capabilities and the creation of a second line of defence that guarantees continuity of production.”

Zaluzhnyi stated the centre of engineering experience would stay in Ukraine whereas manufacturing can be built-in into Britain’s defence trade.

Ukraine’s defence trade has grown quick in the course of the 4 years of the warfare with Russia. Its manufacturing capability is estimated at $50–55 billion this 12 months, assembly greater than 50% of the Ukrainian military’s wants.

Ukraine's production capacity is estimated at $50–55 billion this year, meeting more than 50% of the Ukrainian army's needs. — Ukraine’s manufacturing capability is estimated at $50–55 billion this 12 months, assembly greater than 50% of the Ukrainian military’s wants. (Valerii Zaluzhnyi / X)

Kyiv can also be now making ready to renew exporting materiel and providers for the primary time in 4 years.

Davyd Aloian, deputy secretary of Kyiv’s National Security and Defence Council, stated final week that the nation might export a number of billion {dollars} price of products and providers in 2026, with a “significantly higher” potential than pre-war exports allowed.

Ukrspecsystems stated on its web site that it was working within the UK as a part of the 1Force consortium, collectively with British Eagle Eye Innovations Ltd and Digital Concepts Engineering Ltd.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britain-ukraine-drone-production-factory-b2927847.html