Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Digital Transformation establish a unified ecosystem to support Ukrainian arms manufacturers

Minister of Defence of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal participated in ‘Decisive Innovations: Ukraine’s Next Steps in the Technology War,’ a joint event of the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and the BRAVE1 platform.

“More support for Ukrainian arms manufacturers is needed. Together with First Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, we met with our manufacturers to discuss collaboration and scaling up production. The Brave1 Defence Cluster is launching new support tools,” said the Minister of Defence.

Notably, new advanced capabilities have been established in core technological areas, including explosives, tactical ballistic missiles, anti-drone missile systems, and artificial intelligence. Up to UAH 150 million will be allocated to projects expected to deliver rapid results on the battlefield. 

In addition, updates are being made to the main grant program. Manufacturers may be granted funding ranging from UAH 500,000 to UAH 8 million.

“We focus on 70 technical areas across nine categories: missiles, artificial intelligence, drones, ground robotic systems, electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, unmanned boats, and more. This is aimed at the rapid advancement of technologies and their deployment to the military,” said Denys Shmyhal.

A dedicated program for breakthrough solutions is also being introduced. Within this framework, unique Ukrainian developments in artificial intelligence and missile manufacturing can each receive a grant of up to UAH 8 million to implement their ideas.

By the end of the year, grants from Brave1 are expected to total UAH 2.7 billion. Detailed information on all grant programs from the Defence Technology Cluster can be found at https://grants.brave1.tech/.

“This represents only a small portion of the state support, which includes a soft loan program, a compensation program, and tax and regulatory benefits. Following the President’s directive, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Digital Transformation are building a unified support ecosystem to ensure that every innovation quickly becomes a force on the front lines. Together, we are creating hundreds of innovative solutions, all with a single goal: to defeat the enemy and protect Ukrainian warriors,” emphasized Denys Shmyhal.

According to him, Ukraine has transformed the nature of modern warfare, with our warriors becoming co-creators of unique technologies. The Defence Minister outlined the main priorities to win the technological war: people, weapons, innovation, and swift adaptation.

Accordingly, Ukraine is building a new defense industry ecosystem with the private sector at its core. The systematic approach encompasses all stages: financing, production, testing, and integration. The ‘Build in Ukraine’, ‘Build with Ukraine’, and ‘Defence City’ initiatives are expanding these opportunities. 

Denys Shmyhal urged manufacturers to localize supply chains and invest further in research and development.

He added that, thanks to drones, a so-called Kill Zone has been established: an area where the enemy cannot maneuver without incurring heavy losses. Ukraine is currently developing a Kill Web, which will enable greater situational awareness, faster decision-making, and more precise targeting. The Defense Minister explained that new developments are being rolled out at every stage.

Investment in human capital also continues. Notably, over 25 partnerships with educational institutions have been established, and the Youth Innovation Hub has been launched. 

“A unified innovation vertical—spanning education, science, and industry—will be developed. Efforts are planned to more actively incorporate the invaluable experience of veterans into the defense industry,” Denys Shmyhal concluded.