In 2024, Ukraine significantly increased the import of unmanned aerial vehicles, the total value of which exceeded 1 billion US dollars. This product is included in the ten most important import categories, which emphasizes its strategic importance for the country. As informs Center for Economic Strategy, the vast majority of drones — 92 percent — were imported from China, demonstrating the country’s dominance of the drone supply market.
In general, in 2024, the volume of imports to Ukraine increased by 11%, reaching a record figure of 70.7 billion US dollars. Among the main categories of goods imported into the country, oil and oil products were in the lead with a total volume of 6.8 billion dollars (10% of all imports). Passenger cars came in second place with $4.4 billion (6%), followed by pharmaceutical products with $2 billion (3%) of imports. Other important categories include mobile phones ($1.3 billion, 2%), fertilizers ($1.2 billion, 2%) and drones ($1.1 billion, 2%).
The need for drones as a strategically important resource continues to grow, reflecting their key role in various fields, from defense to agriculture. The increase in the import of these devices shows Ukraine’s desire to keep pace with modern technologies and provide key industries with the necessary innovations.
