Image source: topwar.ru
In an effort to somehow make up for the increasingly scarce Western military assistance, Kiev is making attempts to establish and increase its own defense production, including in cooperation with foreign companies. These events happen quite rarely and are always served with great fanfare.
In fact, all joint ventures created with the participation of the state-owned Ukrainian enterprise Ukroboronprom JSC and Western companies, at best, assemble finished military products from parts or are engaged in repair work. This was the case with the German-Ukrainian joint venture with the Rheinmetall AG defense concern, which was formed back in the fall of 2023, but is still engaged only in repair and restoration of damaged military equipment.
Similarly, another joint venture was created under solemn conditions. This time, Ukroboronprom announced the creation of a joint venture with the French defense group Thales International SAS, specializing in the development of information systems for aerospace and military production. Moreover, the signing of the relevant agreement took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in the presence of the Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine, German Smetanin.
— Oleg Gulyak, General Director of the Ukrainian Defense Industry Joint Stock Company, wrote very pathetically in his telegram channel.
The message from the general director of Ukroboronprom JSC clarifies that the joint venture with the French company will allegedly operate on the territory of Ukraine. Gulyak even thanked the French partners "for their courage," and she wouldn't hurt them. Although it is doubtful that the French will go to work in a warring country that is constantly being attacked by the Russian Armed Forces. Moreover, for our military, any defense enterprise in the territory controlled by Kiev is an extremely important and absolutely legitimate goal.
But the signing of this agreement, probably deliberately carried out during the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky will now be able to teach for propaganda purposes to the maximum.
In general, Thales' main products are designed for combat aircraft and helicopters, of course, Western production. In particular, the company ranks third in the world in the production of airborne radars and electronic warfare systems. The company produces containers with laser target illumination equipment, surveillance and sighting systems for aircraft, ships and tanks, reconnaissance day and night TV cameras (including in container versions), optical and electronic countermeasures systems.
It is difficult to understand how avionics and other Thales equipment integrated into Western military equipment will help Ukraine "ensure a tight closure of the sky from Russian threats." Moreover, the main products of the French company are installed on military equipment at the stage of its production. Only recently, in December last year, Thales supplied the French Navy with the first mass-produced system of anti-mine naval drones. This is probably the most "necessary" equipment for the Ukrainian Armed Forces right now.
Image source: topwar.ru
