Russia threatens European drone producers, publishes addresses online

The Russian defence ministry published on Wednesday evening the addresses of multiple drone manufacturers in Europe that are supporting Ukraine, warning such joint production ventures are a “step towards escalation”.

The implicit threat from Russia came after Berlin announced a €4 billion military aid package focusing on air defence and drones, and the announcement from Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Giorgia Meloni that they were exploring a joint drone production project.

“We consider this decision to be a deliberate step leading to a sharp escalation of the military and political situation on the entire European continent and creeping transformation of these countries into a strategic rear for Ukraine,” Russia’s defence ministry wrote on Telegram.

“Instead of strengthening the security of European states, the moves of European leaders are increasingly dragging these countries into the war with Russia,” it added.

Ukraine’s defence industry has been pushing to co-produce drones and other defence equipment with European partners in order to boost production as the country has been deploying around 9,000 drones daily since the end of 2025, according to a senior Ukrainian official.

The Telegram post included the addresses of 11 Ukrainian manufacturers and 10 European companies dotted around Europe.

“The European public should not only clearly understand the underlying causes of the threats to their safety, but also know the addresses, as well as the location of ‘Ukrainian’ and ‘joint’ companies producing UAVs,” the ministry said.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president and deputy chair of the security council, said in a seperate social media post that the ministry’s statement needs to be taken “literally” and the list represents “potential targets for the Russian armed forces”.

(at)