Its burgeoning defense industry is developing cheaper weapons to reduce reliance on the United States.
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KYIV REGION—In the basement of a business center, the silver doors of a lift open to reveal a bustling industrial hive, like something out of a James Bond film. Surrounded by enormous 3D printers, dozens of masked and gloved men work on the skeleton of an FP-1 drone. With its long gray wings, narrow fuselage, and a wooden propeller fixed to the rear, the machine could almost pass for a small pleasure aircraft.
Joseph Roche is a correspondent covering defense, diplomacy, economy, and religion in the broader Black Sea region. Based in Ukraine since 2022, his reporting also takes him to the Middle East, where he explores regional security dynamics and geopolitical shifts.
