Zelensky says Russia will allocate $12 billion to jet drones and loitering munitions next year

During his September 26 evening speech, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Ukrainian intelligence had secured Russian internal documents showing a $12 billion allocation for the production of jet-powered drones and loitering munitions for the next year. He highlighted that these systems now account for a substantial portion of Russian strikes on Ukrainian urban areas, with jet drones comprising roughly two-thirds of launches in some Kyiv attacks.

In response, Ukraine is scaling up its own interceptor drone programme, testing several prototypes that could become primary defensive tools. Zelensky stressed that the planned Russian expenditure signals no imminent end to the war and called on Ukraine’s partners to intensify sanctions and collaborative drone-defence efforts. He also mentioned ongoing efforts to boost interception rates, recent drone procurement deals—including a new agreement with Finland—and Russia’s campaign to disrupt Ukrainian digital infrastructure.