Ukraine’s ousted defense minister confirms M&M’s operation planning and discloses real story behind its name

Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has revealed that Kyiv had previously planned an operation called "M&M's," which involved deploying AI-powered drones against Moscow's airports. This operation was intended to paralyze the city's air defenses, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cautioned that striking a civilian aircraft could be seen as piracy. Although work on the plan was initiated, it was later shelved following Fedorov's departure from his role.

During an interview with 24 Channel, Fedorov addressed the origin of the operation's name, stating that the idea was derived from a birthday celebration. He explained that someone presented him with a box of M&M's, and he shared the candies, suggesting that the autonomous-drone project be named M&M's. Fedorov clarified that the operation was not about distributing a large number of inexpensive drones but rather focused on fully autonomous deep-strike drones.

As for his future plans, Fedorov expressed his intention to establish a venture fund to attract Western capital to Ukrainian startups and developers. He highlighted two key priorities: developing cheap missiles powered by artificial intelligence to deter strikes and robotize the front line, ultimately minimizing the need for infantry to remain in dugouts due to drone attacks.

Fedorov also announced his intention to visit the United States the following week, primarily to connect with Elon Musk and explore potential collaborations. While he declined to confirm whether he would run for political office, he stated that his opposition was to the overarching system, not any specific individual.