Paris plans on making drones in Ukraine
(MENAFN) France is exploring plans to establish military drone manufacturing in Ukraine, with the government urging Renault—its largest carmaker—to participate in the initiative. The proposal comes amid a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian territory, with Moscow reporting that 2,300 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were intercepted in the last week of May alone.
Renault confirmed on Sunday that it has been approached by the French Defense Ministry about the possibility of producing drones but emphasized that discussions are still preliminary and no formal decision has been made. The company said it is waiting for more detailed information from the ministry before proceeding.
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu unveiled the idea during a recent interview, describing it as an “unprecedented partnership” aimed at outfitting Ukrainian production lines to manufacture drones. The plan may involve setting up assembly operations just dozens or hundreds of kilometers from the front lines, according to French media outlet France Info.
In addition to Renault, the Toulouse-based defense firm Delair may also be involved. Delair has a track record of producing surveillance and kamikaze drones and has previously supplied UAVs to the French military for use in Ukraine.
Lecornu described the project as mutually beneficial, stating that while the drones would be built in Ukraine by local workers for use by Ukrainian forces, they would also serve French military training needs. He emphasized that no French troops would be deployed to Ukraine as part of the effort.
Meanwhile, Russia has denounced such moves, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accusing Ukraine and its Western backers of deliberately undermining peace efforts. Moscow warned that any foreign-backed weapons production facilities on Ukrainian soil would be considered legitimate military targets and subject to destruction.
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