Kiev is planning a buildup of its weapons industry to produce more sophisticated arms, with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov saying government takeovers of several companies will help Kiev to create an "army of drones" and other NATO-caliber weapons. The defense chief noted that growing military ties between Kiev and the West makes Ukraine a de facto NATO partner.
In an interview on Thursday, Reznikov told reporters Kiev was seeking to replicate Tel Aviv’s defense industry. "We are trying to be like Israel – more independent during the next years," he said.
The defense head argued that Israel’s advanced defense industry helps it maintain its sovereignty, adding "I think the best answer [can be seen] in Israel … developing their national industry for their armed forces. It made them independent."
Ukraine has received tens of billions in security assistance from the US and its global partners. "We understood that [by] using Soviet weapon systems … we are not independent. And it is better to have new systems with new ammunition of a NATO standard," Reznikov went on.
On Friday, Reuters reported additional details of Kiev’s plans for its weapons industry. Reznikov said Ukraine was already in the process of making an "army of drones" and was looking at manufacturing NATO-caliber artillery. The official also said Ukraine needs to develop drone jamming capabilities, as well as unmanned vehicles for the air, land and sea.
Kiev’s plans to upgrade its defense sector could face several challenges given the complications of wartime. In recent months, the Kremlin has proven its ability to bypass Ukraine’s air defenses and has severely damaged the country’s electric grid. Additionally, Kiev has already passed a 2023 budget with a $38 billion deficit.
It’s unclear how the Kremlin would respond if Ukraine were to produce NATO standard weapons. While Moscow repeatedly voiced concerns that Kiev could someday host NATO weapons before it invaded Ukraine last winter, Reznikov insisted his country’s ties with the North Atlantic bloc would continue regardless.
"It doesn’t matter when we become a member of the NATO alliance de jure. We have become a NATO partner de facto right now," Reznikov said. "That’s why we need to develop our military industry together."
Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com, news editor of the Libertarian Institute, and co-host of Conflicts of Interest.
Talking to the Israeli Consul General in SF in 1992, as I recall, re Israel’s potential to be significant defense manufacturer — nope, he was thinking still agriculture. The whole hi tech/military tsunami happened fast and at least in some (you’d think savvy areas) unexpected. But Ukraine, however, is catching on very fast: armaments! hi tech devious invasive software! What a great — and if the US has anything to do with it — lucrative strategy. Frightening state the world is in that armaments are the manufacturing industry of choice for the so-called “1st world” countries.
Next door to Russia.
Been lucrative for the MIC here in the U.S. of A.
Zelenski just cannot stop talking about Israel. Fove times now (that I have counted), and possibly more, Zelenski claimed that the only way post-war Ukraine can function will be to inplement secyrity on Usraeli model, that is, for military to be ever present in all publuc spaces to deal witn internal enemies. Now, he is so impressed by Israel’s arms industry. I do not believe there is anyone left on this planet who does not know which nationality is his target. It is very unpleasant for Mr. Zelenski to have to rely on his Nazi security desth squads — even though their activities and victims are well hidden from public view in the West. So. he has been coming up with much more respectable means of repression and genocide — and the old Nazi units can get a new uniform.
Prooblem is — this transformation may not be universally acceppted.
“It is very unpleasant for Mr. Zelenski to have to rely on his Nazi security desth squads — even though their activities and victims are well hidden from public view in the West. So. he has been coming up with much more respectable means of repression and genocide — and the old Nazi units can get a new uniform.”
Are these the same Nazis that were killed by Russia in Mariupol, many of which survived but taken prisoner, then many of those killed while in captivity by the other Nazi Wagner Group, then many of those super dangerous (200+) left over Nazis, later released by Russia in a prisoner exchange.
Are these the Nazis you are talking about?
Enlighten us-which nationality is his target?
I guess that means it will be subsidized by the US?
Correct.
I laughed out loud! I need to think about this whilst having some coffee… 🙂
Which kind of puts a kibosh on the “independent” theme. But it’s similar to Israel’s independence so maybe that’s what he was talking about.
Exactly.
Funny how your “exactly” has a completely different meaning than Don Julio’s “correct”.
Precisely.
absolutely.
Without a doubt.
In other Israel news, there is a plan for Israel to supply gas to Europe, but it is supposed to take several years. Where will the gas come from? From the waters off of the Gaza , waters that are supposed to be Palestinian. Real News Network: https://therealnews.com/shever0519gas The U.S. steals Syrian oil, pirates Iranian oil. Israel steals gas from waters off Gaza. A match for the ages, huh?
not according to the maps
Which maps?
probably the israeli book of official maps
Hello Friends
If you read a single thing online today, please make it Caitlin Johnstone’s piece on Dubya and ZelBoy appearing together.
The graphics at the top alone make it worthwhile. 😁
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2022/11/12/zelensky-and-bush-to-give-joint-pro-war-presentation/
Thanks, N 🙂
“Ukraine Plans to Create ‘Israel-Like’ Arms Industry To Produce NATO-Caliber Weapons Ukraine’s defense chief said he wanted to amass an “army of drones” for “the future of war on the planet”
So now Ukraine is going to have a war on the planet!!!!!
The way ZelBoy struts around, you’d think he believes he’s capable of it 😉
ZelBoy, go back to dancing in high heels and playing piano with your johnson. You were more effective then.
With a proven belligerent neighbor like Russia who will never stop at trying to fully conquer Ukraine by force, it’s the best think Ukraine can do. At least until Putin is out.
Could we say that Ukraine is embracing capitalistic systems?….
So we are going to have ANOTHER country that depends on war for its economy.
Recall, they did have a cutting edge bio-weapons industry.
“”It made them (Israel) independent””
wow you couldn’t make that sh*t up. oh wait, he just did.
That gave me a chuckle too. 4 billion per year and auto veto at the UN to do whatever the f*ck they please.
And now ZelBoy is threatening war with Iran. As you said, Wars: you couldn’t make this sh*t up.
Ukrainazia is becoming more like IsraHell by the day.
The Israeli arms industry was a long term project, the product of decades of “peace” as the Israelis define that.
It can’t be done amidst the total war now engulfing Ukraine.
It is unlikely Russia will accept a peace deal that leaves Ukraine as a functioning part of NATO with an Israeli-like military and arms industry to build against Russia for a couple of decades.
BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Tens of Billions of US Dollars Were Transferred to Ukraine and then Using FTX Crypto Currency the Funds Were Laundered Back to Democrats in US…
Gateway Pundit
Not likely they do anything in near future other than trying to make ends meet learning to survive living on top of ruins.
A pretty bizarre priority when they need shelter and food, but what is to be expected from corrupt Ukrainian government officials, war must be profitable for Reznikov and friends.
Such a patronizing statement. It’s meant to ingratiate themselves to U.S. and Israeli hawks. Ukraine was a major arms maker when it was part of the USSR, so what happened why weren’t they able to maintain their arms base?
“Russia didn’t invade Ukraine over NATO, because Ukraine isn’t a member of NATO” says the layman. But Ukraine says “It doesn’t matter when we become a member of the NATO alliance de jure. We have become a NATO partner de facto right now”
Yes, Ukraine is now a permanent de facto NATO member state … because Putin decided to invade Ukraine on the extremely unlikely possibility that it might eventually become a de jure NATO member state — which he could have easily had precluded by asking Hungary or another relatively Russia-friendly NATO member state to announce a policy of vetoing any Ukrainian application.
One possibility is that the US trawled bait in front of him and he took it.
The other is that he wanted an excuse and decided to use that one.
Ukraine was a defacto NATO member long before the war began. Doing joint military exercises, sharing military info, sharing military equipment, etc.
Thomas, Thomas, Thomas. I believe I’ve employed this analogy previously.
WHAT if the Mexican government began attacking Amerikkkan enclaves in that nation? Do you believe that our government would sit idly by?
The term “shock and awe” comes to mind. I actually believe that Putin showed a great deal of patience before moving in the defense of his people.
OK, let’s look at that analogy.
If some people in the state of Sonora didn’t like the way an election came out in Mexico and announced they were seceding and wanted to be part of the US, and if an eight-year civil war (with the US arming the Sonoran separatists and sending some number of troops in to assist them) ensued, and then the US used that as an excuse to invade Mexico, I’d also call bullsh*t on the US claim that it “had no other choice” and was “moving to the defense of its people” with a “special military operation” that qualified Americans for ten years in prison if they opposed it, or even called it the war it was.
I’m just not going to become a member of the “every regime that is not the US regime has been sprinkled with special magical fairy dust that makes its bullsh*t excuses non-bullsh*t non-excuses” cult.
Excuse me Thomas, I believe that my unicorn sprinkled me with magical fairy dust.