Changing lives one step at a time: Celebrating 20 Years of STEPS Clubfoot Care
Clubfoot affects 1 to 2 babies per 1,000 live births worldwide, yet despite its prevalence in Africa, it is completely treatable.
Image: Ian Landsberg
In a world where a life-changing intervention can mean the difference between mobility and limitation, STEPS Clubfoot Care celebrates two decades of impactful service this Tuesday, 3 June 2025, coinciding with World Clubfoot Day. Since its inception, STEPS has touched the lives of over 12,000 children across South Africa, empowering families and redefining futures through the power of early intervention.
Clubfoot, a congenital condition that affects the positioning of a baby's foot, twists it downward and inward, making treatment paramount for the child's future mobility. Every year, at least 2,000 newborns in South Africa are diagnosed with this condition, yet it remains entirely treatable thanks to the Ponseti Method—a non-invasive approach that realigns the foot and provides pain-free mobility for 95% of its patients.
Born from a mother's determination to overcome fear and uncertainty, STEPS was founded by Karen Moss in response to her son's clubfoot diagnosis. Struggling with limited treatment options at the time, she discovered the Ponseti Method during a visit to Dr. Ignaçio Ponseti in Iowa, USA. This experience ignited a commitment to ensure no parent in South Africa need to face clubfoot alone.
'No parent should ever feel hopeless after a clubfoot diagnosis,' Karen reflected. 'I wanted to build a local network equipped with the guidance necessary to deliver expert care and tangible results. This commitment still drives STEPS today.'
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
STEPS Clubfoot Care celebrates two decades of impactful service
Image: Ian Landsberg
As Southern Africa's only dedicated organisation for clubfoot treatment, STEPS has established a robust network of 48 partner clinics across all provinces, a monumental increase from just a handful in its early days. Healthcare professionals numbering over 2,000 have been trained, ensuring that the message of early diagnosis and treatment resonates on a national level.
Beyond statistics, STEPS has powerful stories woven into its tapestry of triumphs.
For mom Moreblessing Hurungo, from Mfuleni who gave birth on 23 May 2025, the help received for baby Tanashe is not only a blessing, but also a life changer.
"When my child was born, I was very very worried, it was not straight, I didnt know his feet can be fixed, thought he'd live like this forever, I didnt expect this.
"Now with his feet, the baby will be able to do everything a normal child can do. I am so happy, he will be fine."
Axolile Madolo from the Eastern Cape who faced the harrowing news that her newborn son, Musa, had bilateral clubfoot.
'A wave of fear came over me, the anxiety and thought, of 'what did I do wrong?'
"I didn't know what clubfoot was or where to go,' she recalled. But support from STEPS transformed her anxiety into action. Today, 18-month-old Musa is thriving, confidently taking his first steps and enjoying life alongside his siblings.
Moreblessing Hurungo and her son Tanashe with Jane Mackinnon, Steps clinic coordinator
Image: Ian Landsberg
The Hartnicks faced a similar ordeal when their daughter, Kendall, was born with the condition. 'We were clueless about what to do,' admitted her father, Lorenzo.
At Tygerberg Hospital's Clubfoot Clinic, the family found a clear treatment path that included casting and bracing. Now, following a successful recovery, two-and-a-half-year-old Kendall runs and plays like any other child, testament to STEPS' dedication and the committed healthcare professionals within its reach.
The sustainable, collaborative model that STEPS has developed with state health institutions and the South African Paediatric Orthopaedic Society continues to shift the narrative of clubfoot care in the region. Notably, in 2025 alone, seven new partner clinics were added, reinforcing an impressive 700% growth since 2015.
Significantly, STEPS has partnered with leading hospitals like Tygerberg and Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in the Western Cape and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Gauteng to enhance care delivery and to ensure children complete the full clubfoot correction process. This collaboration has notably reduced the number of families who abandon treatment midway due to logistical or financial hurdles.
'Awareness can lead to early treatment and full mobility,' said Dr. Marí Thiart, a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Tygerberg Hospital, emphasising the vital role of informed caregiving in tackling this common condition.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Asian Market: Discovering 3 Stocks That May Be Trading Below Their Estimated Value
As the Asian markets navigate through a period of economic recalibration amid global trade uncertainties and evolving inflation dynamics, investors are increasingly focused on identifying opportunities that may be trading below their intrinsic value. In this context, understanding what constitutes an undervalued stock is crucial—typically characterized by strong fundamentals and potential for growth that isn't fully reflected in their current market price. Name Current Price Fair Value (Est) Discount (Est) Xiamen Amoytop Biotech (SHSE:688278) CN¥77.25 CN¥153.79 49.8% Range Intelligent Computing Technology Group (SZSE:300442) CN¥42.93 CN¥85.11 49.6% RACCOON HOLDINGS (TSE:3031) ¥820.00 ¥1617.60 49.3% H.U. Group Holdings (TSE:4544) ¥3049.00 ¥6011.28 49.3% Shenzhen Yinghe Technology (SZSE:300457) CN¥17.25 CN¥34.44 49.9% cottaLTD (TSE:3359) ¥432.00 ¥853.28 49.4% Zhuhai CosMX Battery (SHSE:688772) CN¥13.52 CN¥27.01 49.9% Heartland Group Holdings (NZSE:HGH) NZ$0.79 NZ$1.58 49.9% Dive (TSE:151A) ¥919.00 ¥1819.21 49.5% China Kings Resources GroupLtd (SHSE:603505) CN¥21.43 CN¥42.38 49.4% Click here to see the full list of 307 stocks from our Undervalued Asian Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener. Here's a peek at a few of the choices from the screener. Overview: Innovent Biologics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of antibody and protein medicine products in China, the United States, and internationally, with a market cap of approximately HK$104.09 billion. Operations: Innovent Biologics generates revenue primarily from its biotechnology segment, amounting to CN¥9.42 billion. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 42.1% Innovent Biologics is trading at HK$63.1, significantly below its estimated fair value of HK$109.06, suggesting it may be undervalued based on cash flows. With earnings expected to grow 41.08% annually and anticipated profitability within three years, the company shows promising financial prospects despite a forecasted low return on equity of 13.9%. Recent advancements in clinical trials for treatments like picankibart and mazdutide could enhance future revenue streams and market positioning in Asia's biopharma sector. Our earnings growth report unveils the potential for significant increases in Innovent Biologics' future results. Take a closer look at Innovent Biologics' balance sheet health here in our report. Overview: Eastroc Beverage(Group) Co., Ltd. focuses on the research, development, production, and sales of beverages in China with a market cap of CN¥166.40 billion. Operations: The company generates revenue of CN¥17.20 billion from the production, sales, and wholesale of beverages and pre-packaged foods in China. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 17.1% Eastroc Beverage(Group) Co., Ltd. is trading at CNY 320, below its estimated fair value of CNY 386.2, highlighting potential undervaluation based on cash flows. The company reported strong earnings growth with net income reaching CNY 980.01 million in Q1 2025, up from CNY 663.88 million a year ago. Despite an unstable dividend track record, forecasted earnings and revenue growth outpace the Chinese market average, reflecting robust financial health and future prospects. Our comprehensive growth report raises the possibility that Eastroc Beverage(Group) is poised for substantial financial growth. Click here and access our complete balance sheet health report to understand the dynamics of Eastroc Beverage(Group). Overview: Fujikura Ltd. operates in the energy, telecommunications, electronics, automotive, and real estate sectors across Japan, the United States, China, and internationally with a market cap of approximately ¥1.88 trillion. Operations: Fujikura Ltd.'s revenue is derived from its operations in the energy, telecommunications, electronics, automotive, and real estate sectors across various international markets. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 21.3% Fujikura Ltd. is trading at ¥6,808, significantly below its estimated fair value of ¥8,651.86, suggesting it may be undervalued based on cash flows. The company's earnings grew by 78.6% over the past year and are expected to continue outpacing the Japanese market with a forecasted annual growth of 10%. Despite a volatile share price and an unstable dividend track record, Fujikura's revenue growth prospects remain strong relative to market averages. In light of our recent growth report, it seems possible that Fujikura's financial performance will exceed current levels. Click to explore a detailed breakdown of our findings in Fujikura's balance sheet health report. Click here to access our complete index of 307 Undervalued Asian Stocks Based On Cash Flows. Already own these companies? Bring clarity to your investment decisions by linking up your portfolio with Simply Wall St, where you can monitor all the vital signs of your stocks effortlessly. Elevate your portfolio with Simply Wall St, the ultimate app for investors seeking global market coverage. Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Diversify your portfolio with solid dividend payers offering reliable income streams to weather potential market turbulence. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include SEHK:1801 SHSE:605499 and TSE:5803. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dmall Debuts AI-Powered Retail Solutions at NRF APAC 2025, Charting Global Expansion Strategy
SINGAPORE, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- From June 3 to 5, NRF APAC 2025 (Retail's Big Show Asia Pacific) will take place at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore. Co-organized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Comexposium, the premier event highlights retail digitalization, enhanced customer experiences, and industry innovation, offering a high-impact networking hub for exhibitors and attendees worldwide. Dmall Inc. ( a leading Chinese retail tech pioneer, debuts at the event, showcasing its latest AI-powered solutions, best practices, and ESG achievements. At the event, Dmall partners with Frost & Sullivan to release its White Paper on Current Situation and Trends of Overseas Development of China's Retail Digitalization Solution Providers. The report analyzes the evolving demands for retail digital transformation and outlines the expansion strategies of Chinese tech innovators. Frost & Sullivan notes that rising consumer expectations and sustainability goals are unlocking growth potential across global retail markets. AI, cloud computing, and big data are enabling retail tech firms to optimize and expand their global footprint. Dmall OS, the company's flagship product, will take center stage. The display traces its evolution from Dmall OS 1.0 to 3.0, highlighting globally-compliant, AI-powered, premium-grade, and ecosystem-oriented features. Dmall OS 3.0, integrated with IoT capabilities, delivers end-to-end retail digitalization, empowering businesses to thrive through comprehensive operational enhancements and data-driven growth strategies. Dmall also collaborates with Urovo, SuperHii and other hardware makers to demonstrate interactive experiences powered by PDA devices, smart shopping carts, POS systems, and electronic shelf labels —demonstrating how software-hardware synergy transforms retail operations and consumer experiences. China has become a leader in AI applications, with vertical models addressing sector-specific challenges. At the expo, Dmall spotlights its next-gen AI-enabled solutions, including AI Shopping Assistant, AI-enabled Clearance, and AI Inspection. Notably, AI-enabled Clearance utilizes sales and inventory history to auto-calculate discount rates, generating real-time promotions to maximize margins and reduce waste. Additionally, Dmall showcases its ESG accomplishments, focusing on governance, data security and privacy protection, low-carbon initiatives, and community programs. As ESG gains prominence globally, Dmall's practices offer retailers a blueprint for balancing business success and social responsibility. From 2015 to 2025, Dmall has expanded its presence from China to APAC, Europe, and beyond. Guided by the vision of "Chinese Innovation, Empowering Global Retail", the company continues to integrate best practices with retail digitalization solutions, streamlining operations for retailers while enhancing consumer experiences. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Dmall Inc. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
5 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Explainer How Ukraine's Drone Arsenal Shocked Russia and Changed Modern Warfare
Kyiv's flying machines cost as little as $400 and can neutralize sophisticated Russian equipment worth thousands of times more. Outgunned, outmanned and outspent, Ukrainian troops have kept up the fight against invading Russian forces for more than three years. They might easily have been routed were it not for Kyiv's mass deployment of drones. Tens of thousands of the relatively cheap and expendable machines are now buzzing back and forth over the front lines, pinpointing Russian positions, gathering intelligence to anticipate impending assaults, colliding with enemy targets or dropping bombs on them. By early 2025, drones were accounting for 60% to 70% of the damage and destruction caused to Russian equipment in the war, according to UK-based think tank the Royal United Services Institute. Russia's military has developed a rival drone force and drawn upon a traditional strength in electronic warfare to upgrade its anti-drone technology. Yet Ukraine's highly adaptable drones continue to expose gaps and vulnerabilities in Russian defenses. In early June, drones launched from trucks hit airfields as far from the front as Siberia, damaging part of Russia's nuclear-capable long-range bomber fleet, according to Ukrainian officials. Military commanders around the world are taking note. Taiwan is investing in mass-produced drones in anticipation of a possible conflict with China. Israel has recalibrated the Iron Dome air defense system in the war in Gaza to account for maneuverable drones — one of its biggest blind spots. European governments embarking on their largest rearmament since the Cold War have identified drones and counter-drone systems as an investment priority. The US Pentagon, which pioneered sophisticated and expensive drones sourced from big arms contractors, is looking to buy cheaper ones designed by startups and deployed en masse. With President Donald Trump dialing down US military support for Ukraine, convinced that the war is Europe's problem to fix, Russian leader Vladimir Putin seems intent on pushing his advantage. A prevailing assumption among western military officials is that he aims to slowly wear down the Ukrainian army until the country's fighting power and money is eventually depleted. Ukraine's massive drone program may be its best chance to flip the script. Here's a detailed breakdown of the various types of drones used in Ukraine, and how they're changing modern warfare. Close Kill Drones Small, light drones with multiple rotors have become the defining innovation of the war. Known as first-person view drones, they are typically controlled in real time via a video feed by an operator who can 'see' through an onboard camera using electronic goggles so they can fly beyond the line of sight. Social media is full of videos showing the machines closing in on troops, armored personnel carriers, missile batteries and command posts until the moment of impact, when the picture turns to static. Other rotor drones are used to drop grenade-sized explosives on targets and can be reused if they make it back safely. Fixed-wing loitering munitions hover high in the sky until they locate a target, and then dive and blow up on impact. The latest dive-bombers, such as Ukraine's recently unveiled B-1, are designed to stay airborne for several hours and are quieter than earlier models, making them harder to detect. Deep Strike Drones Long-range drones designed as pilotless, fixed-wing airplanes, can fly hundreds of miles to their targets. Ukraine became painfully familiar with them in late 2022, when Russia started sending over swarms of explosive-laden Shahed drones made in Iran, killing civilians and damaging power infrastructure as far as the country's western borders. Moscow's forces have launched more than 20,000 of these UAVs since then. Kyiv has developed its own long-range strike drones and has been responding with attacks on oil refineries and fuel and ammunition depots in Russian regions as far away as Bashkortostan, some 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from Ukraine. Ukraine has been stepping up its attacks on military and industrial installations deep inside Russia in recent months. Russia said it downed 485 Ukrainian drones during a two-day assault in early May that damaged several arms manufacturing sites and the country's only fiber-optic cable factory. The strikes, which delayed more than 100 flights as airports around Moscow temporarily halted operations, continued through the daytime, whereas previous attacks typically occurred overnight. It demonstrated Ukraine's growing ability to bring the war to residents of the Russian capital who had been largely insulated from it in their daily lives. No injuries were reported. Naval Drones Unmanned speedboats laden with explosives have made it too dangerous for the Russian fleet to come near Ukraine's Black Sea coast, where ships would be able to bombard cities and blockade ports. Recently, Kyiv has started arming them with missiles. In early May, Ukraine's intelligence services said naval drones brought down two enemy fighter jets near the Russian port of Novorossiysk. The drones can be controlled from hundreds of miles away using the US Starlink satellite broadband network. The growing capability of naval drones costing as little as $20,000 challenges the effectiveness of warships that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build. Reconnaissance Drones Small-rotor aerial surveillance drones help combat units to spy over nearby enemy trenches, while longer-range, fixed-wing drones map the locations of enemy units and equipment, making the staging area behind the front lines more dangerous. Surveillance drones can make aerial attacks more effective by spotting targets and delivering their coordinates for more precise targeting of howitzer artillery and ground- or air-launched missiles. Russia's Forpost spy drone provides laser guidance for glide bombs deployed by manned aircraft flying safely beyond the range of Ukraine's air defenses. For the early part of the war, Ukraine relied on Turkish-made Bayraktar drones to guide artillery firing on Russian armored units. It's now developed its own drones, Leleka and Furia, for the purpose. Russia's Orlan surveillance drones are a regular and menacing presence in the sky over Ukraine as they often foreshadow missile strikes. On the ground, Ukraine has begun deploying remote-controlled robot dogs to locate booby traps and Russian soldiers in places that flying drones can't access — such as inside buildings, along trenches and in dense woodland. Other Uses Rotor-winged drones can be used to haul food, water, medicine and ammunition to troops cut off by the enemy or when it's too dangerous to deliver supplies by road. Drones can be used as flying guides accompanying stranded servicemen out of dangerous territory. They are even used to take prisoners. The buzz of a drone will prompt some soldiers to hide or run. Others may try to shoot it down with a machine gun. Sometimes they signal surrender in the hope that the drone operator notices them and guides them to safety instead of dropping an explosive. How have drones transformed the battlefield? The bulk of FPV drones are easy to assemble in a small workshop from parts bought online. With the cheapest costing about $400, they can immobilize or even destroy a tank or other large piece of machinery worth hundreds of thousands of dollars — sometimes millions. They have allowed Ukraine to achieve some stunning military successes using relatively simple means. This has made Russia's armed forces adjust their tactics. Columns of tanks dispatched toward positions across swathes of open terrain are easy prey for Ukrainian drones. So commanders prioritize speed over armor, sending troops out on motorbikes, electric scooters and golf carts, or sometimes on foot to probe for weak spots in enemy lines. This forces drone operators to confront a multitude of smaller, scattered and fast-moving groups, and preserves the most expensive kit for larger, more coordinated assaults. The downside for Russia is that these mobile teams are more vulnerable when attacked, resulting in heavy casualties. Camouflage has become essential even miles from the front, and armored vehicles now sport jerry-rigged netting to entangle FPV drones that can only carry relatively small explosive charges. With more drones zipping across the landscape, sheltering in trenches has become a preferred option for soldiers when not on the move. The dugouts need to be better camouflaged than those used in earlier wars, and soldiers often forego hot food and avoid gathering in large numbers for fear of being detected by an eye in the sky. This permanent, blanket aerial reconnaissance has made it harder for either side to secure and hold territory, widening the 'gray zone' — the area of battle-scarred no-man's land that snakes for more than 1,000 km across Ukraine's eastern regions — to 25 km from 10 km in 2022. Military experts say it's also a reason why there's been little large-scale movement of the front lines, with Russia making only incremental territorial gains over the past year despite having more troops. Plans for further massive increases in drone deployment make it harder to predict the course of the conflict. Ukraine produced at least 1 million drones last year, and has plans to make 2.5 million in 2025, according to the country's strategic communications center. International sanctions haven't stopped Russia ramping up drone output, with Putin calling for annual production of 1.4 million this year, ten times the number Russia churned out in 2023. Innovations Developments are a constant cat-and-mouse game, with drones evolving on an almost daily basis as the adversaries figure out new ways to deal with each emerging capability. Jamming: It's feasible to knock down large drones such as Shahed using anti-aircraft machine guns, but shooting at tiny, omnipresent FPVs makes little sense. So anti-drone measures on the front line are focused on blocking the radio link between a drone and its operator using devices that emit interference signals. Another tactic is spoofing — using fake GPS signals to trick drones into thinking they're somewhere they're not and steering them off course. To deal with jamming, drone operators have been equipping drones with frequency-hopping chips to ensure connections remains secure. Fiber Optics: Russian forces pioneered the use of fiber-optic connections that can't be jammed. The drone unspools a cable as it flies, staying connected to the pilot. These drones fly closer to the ground than radio-operated UAVs and don't emit any radio waves, ensuring the safety of the drone and its operator. Often they're flown out across the gray zone and brought to land, where they wait until there's an opportunity to ambush enemy troops. One downside of these drones is that they must carry a heavy spooling reel. This makes them slower and less maneuverable, and so more susceptible to being shot down. The spool reduces the weight of explosives the drone can carry, and the cable is fragile. The drone can fly no further than about 10 kilometers, or just half of that when it's windy as the cable can sway and destabilize the drone. One other problem: Many of the cables are abandoned when a drone is incapacitated, leaving the landscape strewn with plastic pollution. More recently, Ukraine has introduced its own fiber-optic drones. Russian forces have responded by creating 'anti-drone corridors' — stretching protective mesh or wiring along roadsides. Artificial Intelligence: The direct link required between a drone and its human operator remains the weapon's main vulnerability. As soon as a connection is jammed or a fiber-optic cable breaks, the drone is lost. Trained drone operators have also become targets themselves. Advances in AI are making more expensive, fixed-wing drones increasingly autonomous. They can use Simultaneous Localization and Mapping — or SLAM — to gather data about their surroundings and then construct a map of their location. That's then compared with a high-resolution image of the territory to help it pinpoint where it is. At the same time, other sensors provide data about acceleration and velocity that can then determine how far it has traveled and estimate its location. These systems often work in conjunction with each other, as well as with satellite positioning, in order to boost accuracy and stop the drone drifting off course. In a world of fully autonomous drones, the machines could travel unguided across the landscape, identify a target and attack it before returning to base. There are no fully-autonomous drones for now, but some carry target-locking technology where AI takes over to guide the drone over the final 100 meters for the kill after its human operator has identified the target. Achieving full drone autonomy would further reshape the battlefield, potentially reducing the need to train thousands of operators. How are they building them? The Kremlin has used its deeper pockets to scale up mass production of a more limited assortment of drone models. The industry is centered on large weapons-making clusters such as Alabuga in Tatarstan, where Shahed replicas are made, and Izhevsk, where it's producing a long-range combat drone called Garpiya. Russia plans to establish 48 research and production facilities across the country by 2030 to boost its drone capabilities. Constrained by more limited resources, Ukraine's defense establishment relies on a patchwork of more than 500 suppliers. Some mass-produce drones in sprawling factories. Others either build them from scratch in small workshops and garages or repurpose drones bought online from Chinese online marketplaces. Chinese Mavic drones have become a familiar sight on the front lines, even though their maker, SZ DJI Technology Co., has denied selling any to Russia or Ukraine and the Beijing government says it's taken steps to prevent their use in the conflict. The variety of companies, funding sources and production techniques has made the industry fiercely competitive and innovative. The government is encouraging this startup culture through drone design competitions open to everyone including high-school students. Ukrainian company Skyfall has grown into one of the country's biggest drone producers. It was founded by three engineers to develop the Vampire heavy-duty, multi-purpose drone able to carry 15- kilogram bombs or to transport ammunition, food, water and medicine. It's nicknamed Baba-Yaga by Russians, after the wicked witch from children's fairytales. Skyfall has delivered thousands of the machines to the front. The company also makes the popular Shrike FPV, runs an academy for training prospective engineers, operates several drone servicing centers in cities closer to the front lines, and runs a 24/7 hotline to help soldiers solve technical problems with their drones, even in the heat of battle. Ukraine has been receiving shipments of drones from foreign partners including the UK and Germany, but its vibrant drone industry means the national military is procuring a growing share of its weaponry from domestic suppliers. Ukraine's Ministry of Defense allocated over $2.5 billion in 2024-2025 for local drone manufacturers, signing contracts with 76 companies. Oleksandr Kubrakov, a former infrastructure minister who now advises Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, said the country's drone industry remains fragile because it relies so heavily on the state. 'There is a way to reduce this dependence, and that's to officially open up Ukraine's military exports so they can sell drones abroad. For now, exports are forbidden,' said Kubrakov.
