While Ukrainian drone manufacturers complain about losing foreign markets, some are secretly building overseas factories and selling hollow drones without explosives.
President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed this scheme during a press briefing, Hvylya reports.
The head of state noted he is aware of at least ten interceptor drone factories established globally by private companies aiming to bypass state regulations and secure profits.
Zelensky cited a well-known company that sold 1,000 interceptor drones to a foreign nation for $3.5 million, only for the buyer to discover the devices lacked warheads.
"They think they are the smartest. And then they turn to our military asking for explosives," the president said.
Since explosives belong exclusively to the military, the purchasing country eventually asked Ukraine to supply the missing warheads and deploy military operators for training. Zelensky categorically refused.
The president dismissed such exports as frivolous, noting that the same company had previously received a 300 million euro state contract. He argued that risking Ukraine's reputation for a questionable $3.5 million deal is illogical. Meanwhile, the state can produce 2,000 interceptors daily but only has funding to manufacture half that amount.
To resolve this issue, the government is adopting a systemic approach. Ukraine has already signed strategic ten-year contracts worth billions of dollars with three Middle Eastern countries, ensuring both export revenue and a full supply of drones for frontline troops.