Ukraine says it shot down 33,000 Russian drones in March, a new monthly record
Ukraine has developed cutting-edge and battle-tested drone technology that has proved essential in holding back Russia’s bigger army and has drawn military interest from around the world.
Ukrainian interceptor systems shot down more than 33,000 Russian drones in March, a record monthly figure since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine’s defence minister said.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s domestically-developed long-range attack drones struck a Russian oil refinery and terminal on the Black Sea for the third time in less than two weeks, prompting the evacuation of local people as a precautionary measure.
Ukraine has developed cutting-edge and battle-tested drone technology that has proved essential in holding back Russia’s bigger army and has drawn military interest from around the world.
Interceptor drones as part of a comprehensive air defence system are now being sought by countries in the Middle East and Persian Gulf amid the Iran war, according to Ukrainian officials
Ukraine is scaling up supplies of interceptor drones to thwart Russian aerial attacks and its military has introduced a new command within the air force to boost the country’s capabilities, Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said in a post on Telegram late Monday.
Ukraine's offensive capabilities have also improved, with the Defence Ministry saying on Tuesday that the country’s forces have more than doubled the range of their deep-strike capabilities since Russia's February 2022 invasion.
At that time, Ukrainian forces were able to hit military targets about 630 kilometres away, it said. They are now striking targets as far as roughly 1,750 kilometres behind enemy lines, the ministry said in a statement.
That improvement has allowed Ukraine to hit Russian oil installations that provide crucial revenue for Moscow's war effort. It has also targeted manufacturing plants that supply Russia’s armed forces.
Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery at the Black Sea port of Tuapse for the third time this month in a coordinated operation involving multiple branches of the country’s defence and security services, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said on Tuesday
The two strikes earlier this month destroyed 24 oil storage tanks and damaged four others, it said. Independent verification of the claims was not possible.
The Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday its air defences intercepted 186 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian regions, the annexed Crimea and the Black and the Azov seas.
Europe may need Ukraine
With Russia posing a threat to all of Europe, the continent may need Ukraine more than Ukraine needs Europe, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Tuesday, noting Kyiv's large and increasingly modern military.
"Instead of us thinking that Ukraine needs Europe, perhaps we should think that we in Europe need Ukraine more," Stubb told reporters at a joint press conference with his Estonian counterpart Alar Karis.
"It is the largest, most efficient and most modern military in Europe."
Europe has ramped up its defensive capabilities in the face of the invasion and Moscow's "hybrid" attacks on European countries, including drone overflights, alleged sabotage and misinformation.
Both Stubb and Karis expressed support for Kyiv's desire to join both the European Union and NATO.
"We need to seriously start to think how much Europe actually needs Ukraine, whether it's EU membership or, as a matter of fact, NATO membership," Stubb said.
European leaders broadly back Ukraine's EU membership aspirations but there is little appetite to fast-track Kyiv to full membership, despite urgent appeals from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kyiv officially obtained EU candidate country status in December 2023.
Stubb meanwhile argued that the tide was turning in Ukraine's favour in the war with Russia.
"If you look at the past four months, Ukraine is actually doing much better than Russia," he said.
"We have seen the figures of both dead and wounded soldiers increase to 30,000 to 35,000 per month on the Russian side at a hit ratio of one Ukrainian to five Russians," Stubb added.
"On top of that, Ukraine now has the capability to launch more missiles and drones into Russia than vice versa. The pace at which Russia is advancing is actually minimal, at a cost of roughly 250 dead per square kilometre."
Ukraine says it will open arms exports with 'Drone Deals,' but not to all countries
Copyright AP Photo
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that Ukraine is set to open its arms exports via so-called drone deals, but not all countries will have access to Kyiv's battlefield tested expertise.
In a much anticipated step, Ukraine is opening up its arms exports to global markets, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday evening
"The export of Ukrainian weapons will become a reality, we have approved all the details at the level of our state institutions," Zelenskyy said in a statement.
"Currently, our security expertise and weapons, which have been tested in modern warfare, are of interest to all partners capable of ensuring a real level of protection for their statehood and the lives of their citizens."
Zelenskyy clarified that exports will be open to countries that have supported Ukraine and will take the form of so-called “Drone Deals."
These are special agreements on both the production and supply of Ukrainian drones, missiles, ammunition and other in-demand types of weaponry, military equipment and software, as well as the "provision of our expertise and the technological exchange needed by Ukraine.:
Zelenskyy said also that he approved on Tuesday "the areas for this interstate work and the development of automatic permits for businesses regarding arms exports."
"The algorithm is absolutely clear: at the interstate level, based on the principle of reciprocity, we define the framework for security cooperation through the relevant agreement."
Then the process continues at the level of state institutions and manufacturers. In order to streamline exports, Kyiv will simplify bureaucratic procedures, "maintaining an adequate level of export control, and launching practical operating mechanisms for companies."
In a much anticipated step, Ukraine is opening up its arms exports to global markets, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday evening
"The export of Ukrainian weapons will become a reality, we have approved all the details at the level of our state institutions," Zelenskyy said in a statement.
"Currently, our security expertise and weapons, which have been tested in modern warfare, are of interest to all partners capable of ensuring a real level of protection for their statehood and the lives of their citizens."
Zelenskyy clarified that exports will be open to countries that have supported Ukraine and will take the form of so-called “Drone Deals."
These are special agreements on both the production and supply of Ukrainian drones, missiles, ammunition and other in-demand types of weaponry, military equipment and software, as well as the "provision of our expertise and the technological exchange needed by Ukraine.:
Zelenskyy said also that he approved on Tuesday "the areas for this interstate work and the development of automatic permits for businesses regarding arms exports."
"The algorithm is absolutely clear: at the interstate level, based on the principle of reciprocity, we define the framework for security cooperation through the relevant agreement."
Then the process continues at the level of state institutions and manufacturers. In order to streamline exports, Kyiv will simplify bureaucratic procedures, "maintaining an adequate level of export control, and launching practical operating mechanisms for companies."
Controlled export
Both Ukraine’s foreign partners and domestic weapons producers have been waiting for Kyiv to open up an arms exports procedure.
Approximately 800 arms producers are currently operating in Ukraine and many of them have ramped up their production to a significant surplus.
According to the most recent reports, Ukraine is now producing over 4 million drones annually and could double that number with sufficient funding.
Domestic arms producers had been asking Zelenskyy for a year to lift restrictions on selling their domestically-produced military-grade equipment, particularly drones, to generate more revenue.
An engineer collects FPV drones of "General Cherry" company at the workshop in Ukraine, on Dec. 4, 2025. AP Photo
For over half a year, Kyiv had been working on what it had defined as the "controlled export" of weapons.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said with the clear export structure Ukrainian companies "will receive a real opportunity to enter partner countries' markets," but pointed out that the Ukrainian military will get absolute priority in terms of supply needs.
"A surplus of production capacity in Ukraine for certain types of weapons reaches 50% and this is a direct result of our state investment in Ukraine's defence industry and our cooperation with partners."
Another condition is that only those countries who have supported Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 will have the opportunity of getting a piece of its battlefield-tested arsenal.
Zelenskyy said he instructed the Foreign Ministry together with the intelligence services and Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) to determine the list of countries "to which exports of our weapons are not possible due to their cooperation with the aggressor state."
"This is a serious challenge – to prevent our technologies and weapons from falling into Russian hands," he said.
Soldiers from Ukraine's Khartia brigade operate drones from the Kharkiv region, 30 February, 2026 AP PhotoGulf region first in line
Zelenskyy confirmed that the format of "Drone Deals" has already been implemented by Kyiv in its cooperation with countries in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, Europe and the Caucasus.
He also confirmed that Ukraine has "a proposal on the table with American partners."
"The terms must be favourable to Ukraine, there must be clear oversight, and the proceeds from exports must help Ukraine defend itself. That is exactly how it will be."
Kyiv recently signed 10-year defence partnership deals with three Gulf countries, which include maritime drones, electronic warfare and interception technology.
Ukraine's naval drone fleet has been expanding in recent years and Ukrainian sea drones have proven effective in inflicting heavy losses on Russian military sites and ships in the Black Sea, such as the Magura-V5 drones, which have been used to target the Russian fleet.
Some of these systems can help unblock the crucial Strait of Hormuz, Zelenskyy said in March.
Ukraine is also trying to use the momentum of the Iran war and the escalation in the Middle East as a window of opportunity to strengthen its geopolitical role and transition from a recipient of security aid to a provider.
Both Ukraine’s foreign partners and domestic weapons producers have been waiting for Kyiv to open up an arms exports procedure.
Approximately 800 arms producers are currently operating in Ukraine and many of them have ramped up their production to a significant surplus.
According to the most recent reports, Ukraine is now producing over 4 million drones annually and could double that number with sufficient funding.
Domestic arms producers had been asking Zelenskyy for a year to lift restrictions on selling their domestically-produced military-grade equipment, particularly drones, to generate more revenue.
For over half a year, Kyiv had been working on what it had defined as the "controlled export" of weapons.
On Tuesday, Zelenskyy said with the clear export structure Ukrainian companies "will receive a real opportunity to enter partner countries' markets," but pointed out that the Ukrainian military will get absolute priority in terms of supply needs.
"A surplus of production capacity in Ukraine for certain types of weapons reaches 50% and this is a direct result of our state investment in Ukraine's defence industry and our cooperation with partners."
Another condition is that only those countries who have supported Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 will have the opportunity of getting a piece of its battlefield-tested arsenal.
Zelenskyy said he instructed the Foreign Ministry together with the intelligence services and Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) to determine the list of countries "to which exports of our weapons are not possible due to their cooperation with the aggressor state."
"This is a serious challenge – to prevent our technologies and weapons from falling into Russian hands," he said.
Gulf region first in line
Zelenskyy confirmed that the format of "Drone Deals" has already been implemented by Kyiv in its cooperation with countries in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, Europe and the Caucasus.
He also confirmed that Ukraine has "a proposal on the table with American partners."
"The terms must be favourable to Ukraine, there must be clear oversight, and the proceeds from exports must help Ukraine defend itself. That is exactly how it will be."
Kyiv recently signed 10-year defence partnership deals with three Gulf countries, which include maritime drones, electronic warfare and interception technology.
Ukraine's naval drone fleet has been expanding in recent years and Ukrainian sea drones have proven effective in inflicting heavy losses on Russian military sites and ships in the Black Sea, such as the Magura-V5 drones, which have been used to target the Russian fleet.
Some of these systems can help unblock the crucial Strait of Hormuz, Zelenskyy said in March.
Ukraine is also trying to use the momentum of the Iran war and the escalation in the Middle East as a window of opportunity to strengthen its geopolitical role and transition from a recipient of security aid to a provider.
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