Russia plans to manufacture hundreds of new tanks, aircraft, and missile systems by the end of 2025 despite having reportedly depleted a large portion of its Soviet-era weapons stockpiles, according to a senior Ukrainian intelligence official.
In an interview with Ukrinform, Vadym Skibitskyi, Deputy Chief of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (GUR), outlined Moscow’s current weapons production goals and emphasized the Kremlin’s continued reliance on both modern manufacturing and legacy infrastructure from the Soviet defense industry.
“We clearly understand the numbers Russia has planned for the production of new types of weapons,” Skibitskyi said. “For example, when we talk about modern aircraft—Su-57, Su-35, Su-34, and Su-30—they plan to produce 57 units this year.”
According to Skibitskyi, Russia is also aiming to produce approximately 250 newly built T-90M tanks, along with around 1,100 new armored personnel carriers, including models such as the BTR-82A. He noted that the country’s production schedule includes 365 new artillery systems, which do not include upgraded or refurbished variants.
The intelligence official said Russia has simultaneously continued large-scale refurbishment of older military hardware—tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery systems—which had been in storage prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“Most of the weapons entering units since the beginning of the large-scale aggression were stored equipment that had undergone modernization or restoration,” Skibitskyi told Ukrinform.
Assessing the extent of Russia’s remaining Soviet-era stockpiles is difficult, he acknowledged. Ukrainian estimates suggest Moscow may have already expended between 50% and 75% of those reserves. However, Skibitskyi warned that despite such losses, the Russian defense industry retains the capacity to produce new weapons at scale.
“Russia maintained its defense-industrial base after the Soviet Union. Many enterprises reduced capacity but did not close,” he said. “That allowed Russia to remain a major arms exporter and preserve production lines.”
Looking ahead, Skibitskyi said Russia is focused on systems that have proven effective during combat in Ukraine—especially unmanned platforms and missile systems.
In 2025, the Russian military is planning to manufacture nearly 2,500 so-called high-precision missiles, he said. These include cruise and ballistic variants used in the Iskander system, as well as Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and others.
“There has been a noticeable increase in the production of unmanned aerial vehicles, especially types like Geran, Harpy, and FPV drones,” he added.
Skibitskyi also pointed to a shift in Russia’s armored warfare doctrine. The Ministry of Defense has reportedly narrowed its main battle tank inventory to three models: the T-90, the newer T-14 Armata, and the legacy T-80. The country is also focusing artillery production on newer or more heavily modernized systems such as the Koalitsiya-SV, Msta, Malva, Giatsint, and Magnolia.
The report suggests that Russia has adjusted its weapons development priorities based on lessons learned from its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Skibitskyi said future Russian missile systems will emphasize three key performance improvements: extended range, improved accuracy, and increased warhead payload.
While Western sanctions have targeted many segments of Russia’s military-industrial complex, Ukraine’s intelligence services believe Moscow has managed to partially bypass restrictions and maintain the supply chains necessary to continue large-scale weapons production.