Ukraine's Fedorov pitches a private-sector 'army of robots'
Speaking at IT Arena 2026 in Lviv, former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said drones now account for more than 95 percent of all target engagements in Ukraine's war effort. He also said Ukraine now has more than 700 drone manufacturers, though he did not specify what time period or which operations that figure covers. Fedorov said the AI combat data generated by these operations has itself become an export product, with the UK as the first buyer.
Fedorov wants to extend that shift from drones to full battlefield robotics. He is launching a private initiative called 'Army of Robots,' backed by a militaristic promotional trailer and a dedicated website, under the banner of what he called 'full-scale battlefield robotisation.' The program will run on an ecosystem of private defense tech firms: Fedorov plans to invest in companies, launch his own tech projects, and test working systems with the military at scale. On Telegram he wrote, 'Robots should fight, not people.'
Whether the robots in this program would make attack decisions on their own is not clear from what Fedorov has said. Drones already reportedly do so in some cases. The initiative arrives while the UN continues to debate limits on autonomous weapons, and it doubles as a form of psychological pressure aimed at intimidating Russia and drawing in investors. The humanoid robots shown in the trailer are far less battle-tested than drones and may not make military sense on their own. Almost nine years ago, the Future of Life Institute released the film 'Slaughterbots' with the opposite intent, warning against autonomous combat robots rather than promoting them.
Key facts
- Fedorov says drones now account for more than 95 percent of all target engagements in Ukraine's war
- He says Ukraine has more than 700 drone manufacturers, without specifying the time period or operations covered
- AI combat data from Ukraine's operations has become an export product, with the UK as the first buyer
- Fedorov's private 'Army of Robots' program will invest in companies, launch his own tech projects, and test systems with the military at scale
- It remains unclear whether these robots would make attack decisions autonomously, though the article says drones reportedly already do
Why it matters
The announcement shows how the war in Ukraine has already normalized a level of drone-driven combat, over 95 percent of target engagements by Fedorov's account, that international bodies are still debating how to regulate. Moving that model from drones to broader robotics, and doing it through a private venture rather than a state program, marks a new phase in how military AI capability gets built and funded.
Who it affects
The initiative sits inside Ukraine's private defense-tech ecosystem, the companies Fedorov plans to invest in and the projects he intends to launch himself. It also touches militaries and buyers watching Ukraine's battlefield data, the UK is already named as the first buyer of AI combat data generated there, and it feeds into the ongoing UN discussion on autonomous weapons that other governments are party to.
How to use it
There is no product to adopt yet. Fedorov describes the program as a private ecosystem: he will invest in defense tech companies, start his own projects, and test working systems with the military at operational scale. An 'Army of Robots' website and trailer serve as the public face of the effort for now.
How solid is it
The figures come directly from Fedorov's own remarks at a public event and a Telegram post, not from independently verified military data. He gave no timeframe or scope for the '700 manufacturers' figure, and no funding amount, budget, or timeline has been stated for the program itself.
Risks and caveats
It is not established whether the robots involved would make attack decisions autonomously, a question left open even as autonomous decision-making is reportedly already happening with drones. The humanoid robots shown in the promotional trailer are described as far from battle-ready and may not have real military use. The push is also described as serving a psychological purpose, intimidating Russia and attracting investors, which may matter as much to Fedorov's goals as the technology itself.
“Robots should fight, not people”
— Mykhailo Fedorov, on Telegram