Germany Funds 50,000 Attack Drones for Ukraine

The Federal Government of Germany is financing the procurement of 50,000 Shrike first-person-view (FPV) attack drones for the Ukrainian military in a deal valued at approximately €90 million. Produced by the Ukrainian company SkyFall, the drones utilize autonomous tracking software developed by the U.S.-based firm Auterion to engage moving targets during the final phase of flight.

Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier confirmed the contract volume and stated that some units have already been delivered, with the remainder expected by the end of 2026. Both the German and Ukrainian defense ministries declined to comment on specific details, citing operational security.

This procurement is part of a wider Western military aid effort. The United States Department of Defense has contracted for 33,000 drones, while the Government of the United Kingdom has pledged to provide 150,000 drones in 2026.

Russia condemned the move, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova characterizing the support as an "aggressive war" waged by proxy. Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov further claimed Germany's actions signal a transformation into a "Fourth Reich."