Defender Media

From May 19 to 23, Tech PR School and Calibrated will hold Defence Tech Comms Bootcamp 2.0. This five-day online training program is specifically designed to equip defence tech professionals with the communication skills to effectively engage with key industry stakeholders. Featured speakers include Julia Petryk and Liuka Lobarieva, co-founders of Calibrated; Daria Kotova and Olha Honchar 🇺🇦, partners at ADVANQ specialising in defenсe and infrastructure procurement; Kateryna Bezsudna, co-founder and CEO of the Defence Builder accelerator; and Brian Rohan, communications advisor and Pulitzer Prize finalist. Two additional speakers will be announced closer to the event. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/df5BEeN7

Threads of war: how fibre-optic drones are changing the battlefield At least 15 Ukrainian companies are now producing fibre-optic drones — UAVs controlled via a physical cable instead of radio waves. That cable makes them immune to electronic warfare, and according to Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, they’re already striking targets on the front lines. Last month, BRAVE1 held the first nationwide test of these drones. Over 20 models were tested for range, precision, and survivability. Some hit the 20 km mark. Defender breaks down: — who’s building them (and how much they cost); — why they’re changing drone warfare; — how they are being used in combat missions; — what are their strengths and the limitations. Full story: https://lnkd.in/d5MZMSrN

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence has officially codified and approved the remotely operated, self-propelled armoured platform UNEX UGV, a joint Ukrainian-Czech development. The vehicle is manufactured in Europe and has undergone combat testing under real operational conditions in Ukraine. Watch the video: https://lnkd.in/d7aFAuhZ

Head of Sales at “General Chereshnya,” Head of QA at Fourth Law, Turret Lead at Frontline, and 30+ more open positions in UA defence tech Defender continues to publish a weekly digest of job openings in Ukrainian defence tech, in partnership with the recruiting platform BazaIT. The second edition features updated vacancies from Ark Robotics, Skyeton, and CDBS, as well as open positions at Yaroslav Azhnyuk’s companies, the IRON Cluster, DEVIRO SL, Frontline, and other leading industry players. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dXGY4Kiv

Amazing drones develops interceptor mini-aircraft and missile-drone to tackle Shaheds. Ukrainian drone manufacturers are racing to respond to one of the defining challenges of the current stage of the war — countering Russia’s Shahed-type kamikaze drones. One of the most promising solutions? Fast and affordable drone interceptors. Amazing Drones offers two such solutions: a miniature fixed-wing interceptor aircraft dubbed Molot (Hammer), and a missile drone called SkyRider, designed specifically to counter kamikaze drones. In 2025, the company plans to raise $200,000–$300,000 for R&D and scaling. Several companies, including Technary, General Chereshnya, and others, are already working on such systems. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dTAuyFkr

Ministry of Economy of Ukraine has presented the Made for Victory grant program — a ₴1 billion initiative to support domestic manufacturers of defence components. Deputy Minister Andrii Teliupa says up to 150 companies could benefit, each eligible to receive up to ₴8 million. The government is also open to increasing the fund depending on demand. During the public presentation, officials addressed key questions from defence suppliers — including funding sources, application processes, eligibility criteria, and how compliance will be monitored. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dGJ4WXpJ #DefenceTech #Ukraine #miltech #manufacturing #grants #UAV #EW #investment #MadeForVictory

BRAVE1 conducted the largest-ever ground drone tests in Ukraine, featuring over 70 UGVs Brave1, Ukraine’s state defence tech cluster, has carried out the country’s largest-ever testing of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), according to the organization’s official release. More than 70 systems from 50 Ukrainian companies were tested at a single proving ground. “This could be a game-changer for logistics and casualty evacuation from the grey zone. We’re already seeing successful use cases of such systems directly on the front lines,” said Nataliia Kushnerska, head of Brave1. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/d9T6nkDd

In this week’s #Dorozvidka roundup: • The Economist calls on Europe to buy Ukrainian defence products and invest in startups • General Valerii Zaluzhnyi outlines how drones, data, and AI have reshaped the Armed Forces — via Defense One • Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin announces 15x growth in ground-based drones and a successful Shahed interceptor test • Belgian PM Bart De Wever and President Volodymyr Zelensky inspect the most effective Shahed interceptor to date • Defence expert Maria Berlinska on UGVs, optical auto tracking, mother drones, and computer vision targeting in FPVs In the Dorozvidka section, Defender shares a brief overview of stories that ended up in our editorial backlog over the past week. Read More: https://lnkd.in/gMdWRqha

Ukrainian defence tech startup Frontline Robotics Inc. has closed its seed funding round, the company told Defender. The round was led by German drone maker Quantum Systems, which now holds a 10% stake in Frontline. Total funding details were not disclosed. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eSZS8uhb

Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces have released a video showcasing their latest developments – the “Alligator-9” naval drone and the “Tryzub” laser system. “Alligator-9” is designed to carry out a variety of combat missions at sea. Depending on the mission requirements, this versatile platform can be equipped with different combat modules. It can carry the laser complex “Tryzub 90” or carry smaller kamikaze drones of the “Alligator 5 ToD” type. The device can take on board from 6 to 10 such torpedo drones, which allows it to effectively attack small surface targets of the enemy. The “Tryzub” laser system can destroy enemy attack drones, bombs, missiles, and aircraft at a range of 3 to 5 kilometres. Additionally, the laser can blind targets at distances of up to 10 kilometres. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ex5kDR-A