Futurist robots, small drones … In Lviv, western Ukraine, political leaders and the Armamentos sector have surveyed the largest fair dedicated to military technologies in the country, presented as a window of Ukrainian “knowledge”.
This event, which was held for two days this week, aimed to show that Ukraine is one of the state states of art states in terms of defense since the Russian invasion was launched in February 2022 and attract foreign investors.
The idea that Ukraine can convey a precious experience to its European allies has gained even more strength from the intrusion in Poland, on the night of September 9 to 10, from about twenty Russian drones. Moscow denied having attacked this NATO member country, while Warsaw denounced a Russian “provocation.” The incident, for some experts, has updated the weaknesses of the Atlantic Alliance.
Europeans take an example of Ukraine
According to Ukrainian observers, the sending of combat planes and missile shooting to demolish drones was an outdated and too expensive response. Andrius Kubilius, the European Commissioner, acknowledges:
For months, Ukraine has been attacked almost every night by hundreds of Russian drones. To repel them, Kyiv has developed economic tools, such as electronic intermediaries and interception drones.
According to an AFP analysis of the Ukraine Air Force data, more than 80% of Russian drones are sacrificed. While NATO, last week, neutralized less than five of the twenty who entered the Polish airspace.
To produce a lower cost, the Ukrainian industry approach was noticeably to convert peaceful technologies for military purposes, such as the use of small civil drones to put aside explosives on Russian soldiers.
“If you are not in Ukraine, you are not in technological defense”
These characteristic buzz drones were present at the Lvvvvar Armament Fair. Futurist robots, which resemble controlled remote control cars planned to supply or evacuate the soldiers in the front, were also exposed, along with them, young engineers who show their screens the path of connecting these devices with artificial intelligence (AI).
“It is a showcase to emphasize that Ukraine is technological, Ukraine is developing,” insists Thomas Moreau, representative in Ukraine of Gatica, a group of French defense companies.
Beyond spectacular demonstrations, there is still much to do. Foreign investments in Ukrainian military technologies remain “messy”, underlines the Iaroslav Ajniouk, CEO of the fourth law, which manufactures AI systems for attack drones.
According to him, the only way to defeat Russia is to win the arms race and the West did not understand the urgency of investing. “It’s like looking at the continuation of the ‘search for donkeys’,” he said, referring to this American dramatic comedy in which scientists try to alert those who are unconscious of an imminent disaster.
Ukraine in search of funds
However, some seem to react. In The Lviv Show, his organizer, Brave1, a government platform, said foreign companies intended to invest more than $ 100 million (more than 85 million euros) in Ukrainian defense technologies.
Swarmer, a company that develops drones piloted by AI, concluded the largest public investment by obtaining $ 15 million (12.8 million euros) from US investors. As a comparison, a Ukrainian deputy recently declared that Ukraine spent around $ 170 million (around 145 million euros) per day to fight the war.
Participants in the program explain that investments also face bureaucratic obstacles, in particular strict regulations that de facto prohibits exports due to shortage.
Oleksandr Iarmak, commander of the Nemesis Military Unit, emphasizes that Ukrainian soldiers, despite their desire to share their experience with their allies, have “little time” to do it “due to daily fights.”
Ukraine offers other solutions, such as joint investments abroad. He recently announced a first co -production agreement in Denmark and said that more than 25 foreign companies transferred part of their production in the country.
“We are in the learning phase,” analyzes Artem Moroz, head of Brave1 for investors relations. “Over time, fund collectors are winning impulse.”
Source: BFM TV
