(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukrainian forces have begun using Polish made Warmate 5 loitering munitions on the battlefield, with manufacturer WB Group having established local production inside Ukraine during 2025. Video evidence of the drone’s operational use has appeared in open sources, though no official confirmation of which units are operating the system has been released.
Defence analysts suggest the drones may be in service with units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence. The directorate has previously operated earlier models from the Warmate family of unmanned aerial vehicles. The Warmate series rarely features in publicly available footage, making it difficult to assess the scale of current deployment. It also remains unclear whether Ukraine is purchasing the systems with national funds or receiving them through international military assistance channels, including support coordinated by the Drone Coalition.
WB Group had previously maintained a service and repair presence in Ukraine for its products. During 2025 the Polish company expanded that footprint into localised manufacturing, setting up production capacity inside the country. The move shortens supply lines and allows for quicker delivery of systems to frontline units, while also building Ukraine’s domestic defence industrial base.
The Warmate 5 is a fixed wing loitering munition capable of carrying modular warheads weighing either 5 kilogrammes or 10 kilogrammes. It can strike targets at distances of up to 100 kilometres. The system sits in the same class as the Russian Lancet and the Ukrainian RAM 2X, both of which have seen extensive use during the conflict. Loitering munitions of this type have become a defining feature of the war, with both sides investing heavily in production and development.
The appearance of Warmate 5 in Ukrainian service adds another source of supply for a weapon category that has proved critical for striking enemy armour, artillery and air defence systems behind the front line. Poland has been one of Ukraine’s most active defence partners, providing tanks, howitzers and air defence systems alongside smaller unmanned platforms. Warsaw has also placed its own large orders for Warmate drones, planning to acquire 10,000 units for the Polish armed forces after observing the system’s performance in Ukrainian hands.
WB Group has not disclosed the value of the production arrangement in Ukraine. The company is one of several European defence firms that have moved to establish manufacturing or assembly operations on Ukrainian soil, a trend driven by both commercial opportunity and strategic considerations. Local production helps bypass export control delays and reduces the logistics burden of shipping completed units across borders during an active conflict.