Former Ukrainian official Mykhailo Fedorov announced a new initiative aimed at achieving full-scale battlefield robotization. Speaking at the IT Arena 2026 conference in Lviv, he stated that drones currently account for over 95 percent of all target engagements in the ongoing conflict.
The project relies on an ecosystem of private defense technology companies. Fedorov intends to invest in these firms, develop proprietary tech projects, and conduct large-scale testing of robotic systems directly with the military. He claims there are currently more than 700 drone manufacturers operating in Ukraine.
Ukraine has established itself as a testing ground for AI-powered warfare, leading to the export of combat data derived from these operations. The United Kingdom has already become the first buyer of such data. Fedorov’s program, dubbed the Army of Robots, aims to replace human soldiers with autonomous systems on the front lines.
While the initiative promotes the use of humanoid robots, their current combat readiness remains unverified. The project serves both as a strategic effort to attract private investment and as a psychological tool. This development marks a shift in the global discourse regarding autonomous weapons, moving from international regulation debates to active private sector deployment.
