In this episode of Ukrainapodden, host Tormod Malvin Sæther speaks with Maria Shamota, Chief Industry Relations Officer at the Ukrainian Council of Defense Industries (UCDI). Shamota presents an insider look into how Ukraine’s defense industry has undergone a monumental shift, expanding its manufacturing capacity from $1 billion at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 to over $50 billion today.

Despite continuous Russian missile strikes, severe energy blackouts, and target threats from Moscow, private Ukrainian manufacturers keep assembly lines running 24/7. The episode addresses the massive $40 billion defense funding gap between what Ukrainian factories can produce and what the domestic state budget can afford. Shamota details the «Build with Ukraine» initiative, which brings European partners—including Norwegian defense companies—into joint ventures to manufacture high-tech systems like mid-strike drones while transferring frontline experience directly to Western allies.

The conversation covers the strategic urgency of eliminating reliance on Chinese components, the emergence of brand-new deep-strike drone categories pounding Russian logistics, and how grassroots garage startups and 3D-printing volunteers evolved into mature defense firms. From Pokrovsk and Donbas frontline feedback to NATO certification challenges, this episode outlines how Ukraine is reshaping modern military technology.