“Make robots fight instead of people”: Mykhailo Fedorov launches Army of Robots — and you could be its CTO

Former Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation, and Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov unveiled the Army of Robots at the IT Arena conference in Lviv, opening applications for defencetech companies, engineers developing robotic technologies, and a Chief Technology Officer/technology lead. Fedorov cited the Army of Drones, launched in 2022, as proof that unmanned systems have revolutionized warfare.

He believes the next frontier is robotization, emphasizing the importance of saving soldiers' lives by delegating dangerous tasks to robots. The Army of Robots aims to be an ecosystem rather than a single technology project, investing in defense tech companies, launching its own projects, building R&D capabilities, and rapidly scaling effective solutions on the battlefield.

The initiative complements Fedorov's plans for a new defense technology investment fund, focusing on battlefield robotics, jet-powered interceptor drones, and low-cost AI-powered missiles. Palantir CEO Alex Karp will serve as the fund's first lead investor. Fedorov aims to accelerate Ukraine's technological advantage by combining engineering talent, battlefield experience, capital, and technology to make robots fight instead of people.

The Army of Robots also fits within Ukraine's broader defense innovation ecosystem, leveraging platforms like TrophyLab to turn captured Russian military hardware into a real-world R&D resource, allowing defense companies to study adversary equipment and develop countermeasures.