Mykhailo Fedorov pushes for AI on Ukraine’s battlefields

Mykhailo Fedorov is out of government, but he has not stopped arguing about how Ukraine should fight. His case: put AI on the front lines against Russia, and do it now.

In an interview dated October 7, 2026, Ukraine’s former defense minister said the country must deploy AI on the battlefield “without delay.” He framed AI-powered robots as a matter of survival, a way to keep Ukrainian soldiers alive in a war increasingly fought by machines.

The case for machines over manpower

He has pointed to drones as proof the model already works. According to Fedorov, Ukrainian drones account for 95% of Russian casualties. Separate findings describe drones as responsible for over 95% of strikes against Russian forces.

The industrial base behind that shift is sizable. More than 700 Ukrainian UAV manufacturers are currently operating, feeding a steady pipeline of hardware to the front.

Enter the ‘Army of Robots’

Fedorov’s push lines up with the ‘Army of Robots’ initiative, which was announced on September 26, 2026. The program’s goal is to deploy humanoid robots and enable autonomous assault operations within a year.

Its targets are blunt. The initiative aims to achieve the first humanoid kill within six months.

From the ministry to the private sector

Fedorov was dismissed from his post as defense minister in July 2026. Rather than fading from view, he has shifted his efforts to the private side of defense.

His plans include a defense tech investment vehicle. He has also drawn backing from Palantir CEO Alex Karp.

What this means

For Ukraine’s military, the stakes are straightforward. If AI-powered robots can take on dangerous missions, fewer soldiers face the front-line risks that have defined this war. That is the core of Fedorov’s argument, and it is a powerful one for a country where manpower is a constant concern.

There are real risks to watch. Autonomous weapons remain one of the most debated topics in modern warfare, and goals like a “first humanoid kill” within six months will draw scrutiny over how much decision-making is handed to machines.

The next markers are concrete. Watch whether the ‘Army of Robots’ initiative hits its six-month humanoid target and its one-year goal for autonomous assault operations. Watch, too, whether Fedorov’s investment vehicle launches and which companies it funds.