Taiwan-Ukraine Drone Exchange Heats Up; NYT: Over 100,000 Taiwanese Drones Sold to Eastern Europe, Many Entering Ukraine
Informal drone cooperation between Taiwan and Ukraine is intensifying, with over 100,000 Taiwanese-made drones sold to Eastern Europe, many of which have entered Ukraine. The New York Times reports that Taiwan is leveraging Ukraine's battlefield experience to strengthen its military defense.
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CNA News: (Central News Agency Taipei/Kyiv 5th comprehensive foreign wire report) While Taiwan and Ukraine do not have formal diplomatic or military ties, an informal network of cooperation led by defense enterprises and citizens is gradually emerging, fostering increasing exchanges between Taiwan and Ukraine in defense technologies, experience, resources, and supply chains, including drones.
The New York Times reported that Mr. Li, 37, originally worked in logistics in Taiwan and is now serving on the Ukrainian front lines. He hopes his experience in drone warfare can not only assist Ukraine but also one day benefit Taiwan.
Mr. Li believes that if Taiwan is to strengthen its national defense and resist any potential Chinese invasion, it should learn from the innovative weapons used by Ukraine to bridge the gap in military capabilities between the two forces, including various robots operating in the air, on sea, and on land.
Mr. Li told the New York Times that when he returns to Taiwan, friends often ask him various questions about drones on the Ukrainian battlefield, such as how drones are affected by electronic jamming and how to escape when being pursued by a drone. In fact, if targeted by a kamikaze drone, there is almost nothing one can do.
Defense analysis experts and some retired Taiwanese military officers criticize that the national army's innovation speed is slow and that it has not actively promoted asymmetric warfare like Ukraine. The Taiwanese government also admits that there are obstacles to establishing formal defense cooperation with Kyiv.
Zou Yu-hsin, Deputy Director-General of the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, stated that "Ukraine's experience in using drones in a real combat environment is extremely valuable," but he also mentioned that wartime secrecy measures regarding drone technology make it difficult to conduct in-depth research on Ukraine's relevant tactics.
According to the New York Times, despite this, a Ukrainian grassroots soldier visiting Taiwan for vacation was invited to the Foreign and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan to share his drone operating experience with committee members.
The connection between Taiwan and Ukraine continues to deepen through civilian channels. Taiwan has become a so-called "transit hub for Chinese parts" for Ukrainian drone manufacturers. Even as China strengthens controls on direct exports to Ukraine, some parts can still be obtained through Taiwan.
The New York Times report states that Taiwanese manufacturers often resell products to Ukraine via Eastern Europe. Samara Duerr, a policy analyst in the National Security Group at the Taiwan government-supported Center for Technology, Democracy & Society Research (DSET), pointed out that Taiwan exported 70,372 drones to the Czech Republic and 31,711 to Poland last year, most of which eventually went to Ukraine, with many donated to the Ukrainian military by charitable organizations.
Taiwan-Ukraine commercial exchanges are two-way. In Taiwan, international defense contractors market drone models tested on the Ukrainian battlefield to the national military. In addition, Thunder Tiger Corporation General Manager Su Sheng-chieh mentioned that Taiwanese manufacturers also send drones to Ukraine for testing.
International defense contractors have also asked Ukrainian engineers to design specific models according to Taiwan's needs.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian entrepreneur Oleksandr Mashchenko established the Strug brand to produce naval drones. An industry insider later asked him to research naval drone systems that could be used to defend Taiwan.
Mashchenko told the industry insider that Ukraine could offer assistance, and Taiwan's defense must extend across the entire Taiwan Strait, which might rely on underwater drones or unmanned surface vehicle platforms equipped with interceptors; Ukraine has already deployed similar systems in the Black Sea.
The New York Times reported that Soren Monroe-Anderson, CEO of US drone manufacturer Neros Technologies, stated that his company is testing 100 Ukraine-designed drones in Taiwan and is also evaluating the possibility of establishing a factory in Taiwan, having already established an office in Ukraine.
Monroe-Anderson said: "Our goal is to bring the capabilities developed in Ukraine to Taiwan and mass-produce them in Taiwan."
Auterion, a US defense technology company, also operates in Ukraine. Its CEO, Lorenz Meier, signed a cooperation agreement with a Taiwanese research institution last year. The targeting software developed by Auterion has been widely used and continuously optimized on the Ukrainian battlefield. (Compiled by Hung Pei-Ying) 1150505
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The New York Times reported that Mr. Li, 37, originally worked in logistics in Taiwan and is now serving on the Ukrainian front lines. He hopes his experience in drone warfare can not only assist Ukraine but also one day benefit Taiwan.
Mr. Li believes that if Taiwan is to strengthen its national defense and resist any potential Chinese invasion, it should learn from the innovative weapons used by Ukraine to bridge the gap in military capabilities between the two forces, including various robots operating in the air, on sea, and on land.
Mr. Li told the New York Times that when he returns to Taiwan, friends often ask him various questions about drones on the Ukrainian battlefield, such as how drones are affected by electronic jamming and how to escape when being pursued by a drone. In fact, if targeted by a kamikaze drone, there is almost nothing one can do.
Defense analysis experts and some retired Taiwanese military officers criticize that the national army's innovation speed is slow and that it has not actively promoted asymmetric warfare like Ukraine. The Taiwanese government also admits that there are obstacles to establishing formal defense cooperation with Kyiv.
Zou Yu-hsin, Deputy Director-General of the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, stated that "Ukraine's experience in using drones in a real combat environment is extremely valuable," but he also mentioned that wartime secrecy measures regarding drone technology make it difficult to conduct in-depth research on Ukraine's relevant tactics.
According to the New York Times, despite this, a Ukrainian grassroots soldier visiting Taiwan for vacation was invited to the Foreign and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan to share his drone operating experience with committee members.
The connection between Taiwan and Ukraine continues to deepen through civilian channels. Taiwan has become a so-called "transit hub for Chinese parts" for Ukrainian drone manufacturers. Even as China strengthens controls on direct exports to Ukraine, some parts can still be obtained through Taiwan.
The New York Times report states that Taiwanese manufacturers often resell products to Ukraine via Eastern Europe. Samara Duerr, a policy analyst in the National Security Group at the Taiwan government-supported Center for Technology, Democracy & Society Research (DSET), pointed out that Taiwan exported 70,372 drones to the Czech Republic and 31,711 to Poland last year, most of which eventually went to Ukraine, with many donated to the Ukrainian military by charitable organizations.
Taiwan-Ukraine commercial exchanges are two-way. In Taiwan, international defense contractors market drone models tested on the Ukrainian battlefield to the national military. In addition, Thunder Tiger Corporation General Manager Su Sheng-chieh mentioned that Taiwanese manufacturers also send drones to Ukraine for testing.
International defense contractors have also asked Ukrainian engineers to design specific models according to Taiwan's needs.
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian entrepreneur Oleksandr Mashchenko established the Strug brand to produce naval drones. An industry insider later asked him to research naval drone systems that could be used to defend Taiwan.
Mashchenko told the industry insider that Ukraine could offer assistance, and Taiwan's defense must extend across the entire Taiwan Strait, which might rely on underwater drones or unmanned surface vehicle platforms equipped with interceptors; Ukraine has already deployed similar systems in the Black Sea.
The New York Times reported that Soren Monroe-Anderson, CEO of US drone manufacturer Neros Technologies, stated that his company is testing 100 Ukraine-designed drones in Taiwan and is also evaluating the possibility of establishing a factory in Taiwan, having already established an office in Ukraine.
Monroe-Anderson said: "Our goal is to bring the capabilities developed in Ukraine to Taiwan and mass-produce them in Taiwan."
Auterion, a US defense technology company, also operates in Ukraine. Its CEO, Lorenz Meier, signed a cooperation agreement with a Taiwanese research institution last year. The targeting software developed by Auterion has been widely used and continuously optimized on the Ukrainian battlefield. (Compiled by Hung Pei-Ying) 1150505
Choose to stand with the truth; every sponsorship you provide is a force for protecting press freedom.
Download CNA's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.