Ukraine has launched its first defense production facility in the United Kingdom, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced on Wednesday.
The ambassador described the move as a strategic step to secure resilient drone manufacturing amid Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine.
In a statement, Zaluzhnyi said the new production complex belongs to Ukrspecsystems, a Ukrainian company whose unmanned systems have “proven effective in high-tech warfare.” He said the decision reflects the reality that Ukraine continues to fight under constant missile strikes, infrastructure destruction, and risks to domestic industry.
Battlefield experience drives the engineering
According to the ambassador, Ukrainian engineers develop and refine systems directly from battlefield experience rather than theoretical research.
Establishing production in Britain, he said, creates what he described as a second layer of resilience to guarantee uninterrupted manufacturing, while engineering expertise remains in Ukraine.
Zaluzhnyi said the project expands joint capabilities rather than shifting the center of gravity away from Ukraine. He framed it as a deeper model of partnership in which allies help build a shared industrial security base.
£200mn investment to produce up to 1,000 drones per month
Additional details reported by the BBC said the facility is located in Mildenhall, Suffolk, and is expected to produce up to 1,000 drones per month once fully operational. The project is part of a £200 million investment and is projected to create hundreds of jobs.
Ukrspecsystems manufactures eight types of drones used by Ukrainian forces since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, according to the BBC.
The official opening was attended by Zaluzhnyi and UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard. Pollard said the facility strengthens defense-industrial cooperation between the two countries and supports Ukraine’s ability to sustain its fight against Russia.
Training and testing alongside Operation Interflex
Drones will be tested and pilots trained before deployment at the nearby Elmsett Airfield.
British and Ukrainian forces have already been cooperating under Operation Interflex, a UK-led program launched in 2022 to prepare Ukrainian recruits for combat, which now integrates unmanned aerial systems into training alongside traditional soldier skills.
