Former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said he has already returned to Kyiv from a trip abroad, where he met “with many donors who could potentially finance the further transformation of our country, especially in the direction of a digital state, AI, and the launch of new products”, his press service reported.
Fedorov also said he held meetings with venture funds and Big Tech companies.
“I published information about Palantir, and we managed to attract resources that will allow us to create in Ukraine, in Kyiv, the largest venture fund in the Defence Tech space, which will invest in military start-ups, in established companies, and look for solutions to the problems we have today and will have tomorrow,” he said.
The fund, he said, will be launched soon. It is expected to bring together both start-ups and experts.
Fedorov named three priorities for the work:
- first — equipping the front line with sensors and robotics;
- second — jet-powered interceptors, cheap missiles against jet-powered Shahed drones and missiles;
- third — cheap strike missiles, later with AI systems.
He also announced the launch of an analytical centre.
“Over the past 7–8 months we have found the key to the Russians: how to identify their vulnerabilities, how to strike and seize the initiative in the air and on the ground. And the task is to use our experience so that we can forecast the next steps of the war and proactively generate solutions in order to seize the initiative,” Fedorov explained.
He added:
“Everything I did before, we continue to do with our team. And I hope this will give hope to someone who still has hope, or restore hope to someone who is starting to lose it. Each of us in our place, regardless of status, wherever we are — we keep fighting. And so there will soon be many announcements and news. Join in. See you soon. Until we meet again.”
- Earlier, Mykhailo Fedorov reported on the creation of his own defence-tech company.
- Fedorov lost his post as defence minister in July this year, following the replacement of Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko with Serhii Koretskyi. The resignation, the reasons for which were not communicated, sparked protests in many cities across Ukraine. The mass rallies ultimately led to Oleksandr Syrskyi being dismissed as Commander-in-Chief and Mykhailo Drapatyi being appointed in his place.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had offered him four different posts, including that of deputy prime minister. However, Fedorov said he would agree only to the post of defence minister, because in other roles he would not be able to fight corruption in procurement and complete the army transformation he had begun.
- After the Verkhovna Rada returned from a month-long recess, the president submitted a кандидатура for defence minister — Yevhen Khmara.
- After being appointed minister, Yevhen Khmara said he had offered his predecessor cooperation but received no reply.
- Speaking to journalists in August, Zelenskyy made it clear that one of the reasons for replacing the defence minister was the situation that arose during talks with the US president about permission to use Starlink for defensive strikes on Russian territory. The president explained that the Ministry of Defence had signalled that Elon Musk had agreed, but during negotiations with the American leader it emerged that no such agreement existed.