Kiev’s drone supplier Helsing makes its UAVs at secret plant in south Germany — NYT

Lead

German defense company Helsing, known for its artificial intelligence-equipped combat drones, has been producing its HX-2 model at a secret facility in southern Germany, according to a report by The New York Times as cited by TASS. The production site, located in a serene suburban industrial complex, operates under tight security: Helsing’s name appears nowhere on the premises, employees sign non-disclosure agreements, and the factory can be dismantled and relocated within a day. Since late 2024, the factory has delivered thousands of drones to Ukraine, where they are deployed by Ukrainian military forces.

Coverage Comparison

Coverage of the story varies depending on the source. Deutsche Welle focused on the operational reality of the drones, describing Ukrainian soldiers using the HX-2 near the front lines and highlighting reports of technical issues that emerged at the beginning of the year. TASS, citing The New York Times, emphasized the secretive nature of the German factory and included statements from Russian officials who view the production as a legitimate target.

Both outlets agree on the core facts: Helsing produces drones in Germany, supplies them to Ukraine, and the drones have drawn criticism over their performance. However, the framing differs. Deutsche Welle presents a balanced account that includes both the criticism and Helsing’s response, while TASS places the story within the context of the broader conflict, featuring Russian officials who accuse Western countries of escalating hostilities.

Key Claims

The reports establish that Helsing manufactures its HX-2 combat drones at a secret location in southern Germany. According to TASS, the factory has delivered thousands of drones to Ukraine since late 2024. Deutsche Welle independently notes that Helsing supplies thousands of these drones to the Ukrainian military, funded by the German government.

The drones are equipped with artificial intelligence and automatic target tracking software, as reported by both Deutsche Welle and TASS. Ukrainian soldiers have identified technical issues with the drones, a claim carried by Deutsche Welle, which says critical reports appeared in Western media citing soldiers who reported problems during test deployments. Some drones were said not to be flight-ready or crashed shortly after takeoff, with a low hit rate.

Helsing has responded to the criticism. A spokesperson told Deutsche Welle at the end of January that Ukrainian armed forces are testing the HX-2 together with Helsing staff at the front, and that the first results were “encouraging.” The company also rejected many findings from a Bloomberg report, as mentioned in TASS’s article, which said Ukraine was holding off on additional orders due to problems in frontline tests. Helsing said it was not aware of that presentation.

Additional claims come from TASS, which cites Russian officials. Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Maria Zabolotskaya, is quoted as saying that Western cooperation with Ukraine in weapons production makes European countries complicit in the killing of Russian children. Vladimir Konstantinov, Chairman of the State Council of Crimea, told TASS that the German drone factory is a legitimate target for the Russian Defense Ministry. He also accused Germany of escalating the conflict through new military aid.

Perspectives

Ukrainian military perspective: Ukrainian soldiers report technical issues with the HX-2 drones, including crashes and low hit rates, as cited in Western media reports mentioned by Deutsche Welle.

Helsing perspective: The company refutes the criticism, saying it is working with Ukrainian forces to adapt the drones to frontline conditions, with encouraging early results.

Russian official perspective: Russian officials, including Maria Zabolotskaya and Vladimir Konstantinov, view Western weapons production for Ukraine as complicity in the conflict and describe the German factory as a legitimate military target.