Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine’s defense industry has significantly expanded its armored vehicle output, with one manufacturer confirming record deliveries to frontline units.
On September 10, Vladislav Belbas, director of the company Ukrainian Armor, announced that his firm has supplied more than 1,000 Novator armored vehicles to Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
“From the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian Armor has delivered over 1,000 Novator armored vehicles to the Defense Forces of Ukraine,” Belbas said.
He noted that the Novator line has expanded in recent years to meet evolving battlefield needs.
“Over these years, the Novator family has been joined by new models: the Novator-2 armored vehicle, the Novator 2S medical evacuation variant, the Novator KShM command-and-staff vehicle, the Novator for explosive ordnance disposal, an upgraded Novator with reinforced protection, and the Novator-2 Krechet,” Belbas added.
The Novator, a 4×4 armored vehicle designed for troop transport and multi-role missions, has become one of the most widely deployed platforms across Ukrainian units. Its modular design allows adaptation for medical evacuation, command roles, or counter-mine operations.
While Ukrainian Armor has openly shared production achievements, other major domestic manufacturers remain silent about their output. According to industry sources, companies fear that publicizing deliveries could expose their facilities to Russian strikes, given Moscow’s persistent intelligence-gathering and targeting of Ukraine’s defense production network.
Despite this operational secrecy, Ukrainian industry has collectively achieved notable results. Since early 2022, local producers have supplied more than 3,500 armored vehicles of the 4×4 type to the Armed Forces, supporting operations from frontline assault missions to casualty evacuation under fire.
The surge in production highlights Ukraine’s ability to expand its domestic defense industry despite wartime conditions.