Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrii Taran has met with Haluk Bayraktar, the head of Turkey's Baykar manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), to discuss the possibility of manufacturing the Bayraktar TB2 drones in Ukraine, the Ukrainian defense ministry said on Tuesday
KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2021) Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrii Taran has met with Haluk Bayraktar, the head of Turkey's Baykar manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), to discuss the possibility of manufacturing the Bayraktar TB2 drones in Ukraine, the Ukrainian defense ministry said on Tuesday.
"During the meeting, (the sides) discussed the progress of the production of equipment ordered by the Ukrainian side and the possibility of accelerating the implementation of previously reached agreements. In addition, the possibility and prospects of locating the production of Turkish unmanned systems in Ukraine were discussed," the ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine and Turkey reached an agreement on purchasing the Turkish combat drones in 2019. In an interview with the Anadolu news agency, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Kiev needed the UAVs to "contain" Russia and protect its territory. Ankara, in turn, said that the deal was not aimed against Russia.
The first combat drones arrived in Ukraine in mid-July, according to the Ukrainian defense ministry.
