Copyright kyivpost
Drones have completely transformed the course of the war. At the start of 2022, they were seen as merely an addition to infantry operations and a supplementary tool for ground forces; now, they carry out the vast majority of the work. Drones now account for the majority of enemy losses, conducting reconnaissance, precision strikes, and large-scale target destruction. The Russo-Ukrainian war may be the last conflict where infantry assaults resemble those of World War II – and the first in which drones create multi-kilometer kill zones far beyond the front line, making any movement across them extremely difficult. In recent years, Ukrainian drone manufacturers have reached new levels of efficiency in both production and component development. Over the past three years, dozens of companies have emerged, producing hundreds of thousands of unmanned systems – many already fit for export and technological cooperation with allies. We spoke with the head of one of Ukraine’s largest drone producers about how exports could evolve into a profitable industry, the challenges facing domestic manufacturers, and what support is needed from the government. General Cherry, a company that specializes in strike-capable unmanned systems, was founded by former lawmaker and engineer Hryhoriy Shverk, who shares his perspective on Ukraine’s growing drone capabilities. Hryhoriy Shverk on Kyiv International Economic Forum. Photo by Sergii Kostezh/Kyiv Post First, can you tell us briefly about General Cherry? Where does defense end and business begin? On one hand, it’s a business; on the other, it’s a mission. There’s an expression we use: if not in the army, then for the army. Many of our team members are veterans who, for various reasons – injuries or other circumstances – left active service. We actively hire and train veterans, creating a supportive environment so they feel they’re still contributing to the fight, even off the battlefield. What products are your priority? Our flagship product is the interceptor drone, General Cherry Air. It allows us to take down high-powered and costly Russian missiles or strike UAVs at a fraction of the cost of traditional air defense systems. It can neutralize reconnaissance drones, bombers, and soon Shahed drones. This system provides an affordable way to address defense needs, and it will remain valuable after the war, God willing, ends, protecting against hybrid and terrorist threats to industrial and residential infrastructure. Combined with other tools, our drones help safeguard critical facilities – a need that will exist long after the conflict ends. Are you ready to export these drones to the EU or the US after the war? We are ready, but there are certain nuances…Export requires approval from these governments. Additionally, NATO standards prohibit Chinese components, so we need to ensure our drones meet those requirements. Has Ukraine mastered production of its own components to reduce dependence on China? Not as fully as we hoped. We produce some components domestically – motors, frames, controllers – but unfortunately we cannot yet replace all Chinese parts. Ukrainian manufacturers can supply enough components for production in the thousands, but scaling to tens of thousands remains a challenge. Have Russian attacks targeted your production? How do you operate under labor shortages and constant shelling? We protect our production at all costs. We operate from multiple locations to ensure continuity, with redundancies for critical functions. We can work autonomously without light, water, or electricity if needed. We do this knowing our work helps defend the country, and in that sense, the whole nation operates under similar harsh conditions. What is the role of the Ukrainian state? Do independent drone manufacturers face pressure or support? We do not feel pressure from the state; occasionally, we receive support. However, some decisions are made too late or are suboptimal. We try to influence policy to ensure better, timely decisions. For example, many European partners want to start drone production in Ukraine, but nothing can move forward without government approval. Until the state authorizes it, we cannot proceed.
