Renault Weighs Drone Production In Ukraine
By Charles Szumski
(EurActiv) — Renault confirmed on Sunday that it had been approached by France’s defence ministry to set up drone production in Ukraine, but said it had yet to make a decision.
“We have been contacted by the Ministry of the Armed Forces. Discussions have taken place, but no decision has been made at this stage as we await further details,” the French automaker told AFP.
The statement follows Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s announcement on Friday of a partnership between a major French car manufacturer and a defence contractor to establish drone production facilities in Ukraine.
The project could place production sites within several dozen or hundreds of kilometers from the front line, although official sources have not confirmed specifics, France Info reports.
The drones would primarily serve the Ukrainian armed forces but also benefit French troops.
“We’ll use them to ensure our forces maintain tactical and operational training aligned with the reality of the conflict,” Lecornu said.
Drones have been played a central role in Ukraine’s defence against the Russian invasion – as it proved last week with a dramatic attack on Russian aircraft. Kyiv plans to deploy over 4.5 million drones this year. France, meanwhile, which has only a few thousand drones currently in service, is eager to bolster its capabilities.
“Ukrainians are ahead of us in drone innovation and in developing effective combat doctrines,” Lecornu acknowledged.
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