Ukrainian Minister of Defense Denys Shmyhal participated in a joint event organized by the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, and BRAVE1 titled “Decisive Innovations: Ukraine’s Next Steps in the Technological War.”
“More support for Ukrainian weapons manufacturers. Together with First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, we discussed collaborative work with our producers and scaling up production. The Brave1 defense cluster is launching new support tools,” said Shmyhal.
New major opportunities have been created in key technological areas: explosives, tactical ballistic missiles, air defense systems against drones, and artificial intelligence. Up to UAH 150 million will be allocated to projects that can deliver rapid results on the battlefield.
Additionally, the main grant program is being updated. Manufacturers can receive grants ranging from UAH 500,000 to 8 million.
“The focus is on 70 technical directions in 9 categories: missiles, AI, drones, unmanned combat boats, electronic warfare, and more. This is for rapid technological improvement and deployment to the troops,” Shmyhal explained.
A special program for breakthrough solutions has also been added. Under this initiative, unique Ukrainian AI developments and missile manufacturers can receive individual grants of up to UAH 8 million to implement their ideas.
By the end of the year, Brave1 grants will total UAH 2.7 billion. Detailed information on all grant programs is available at https://grants.brave1.tech/.
“This is only a part of state support. There are preferential loans, compensation programs, tax and regulatory benefits. Following the President’s directive, the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Digital Transformation are creating a unified support ecosystem so that each innovation becomes a force on the front line faster. Together, we are creating hundreds of innovative solutions—all with one goal: to destroy the enemy and protect Ukrainian soldiers,” Shmyhal emphasized.
According to him, Ukraine has changed the nature of modern warfare, and our soldiers have become co-creators of unique technologies. The Defense Minister highlighted further priorities for victory in the technological war: people, weapons, innovation, and rapid adaptation.
Ukraine is building a new defense-industrial ecosystem with the private sector at its center. The systematic approach covers all stages: financing, production, testing, and integration. Initiatives like Build in Ukraine, Build with Ukraine, and Defence City expand these opportunities.
Shmyhal called on manufacturers to localize supply chains and invest in research and development.
He also noted that drones have created a so-called Kill Zone, where the enemy cannot move without significant losses. Ukraine is now working on building a Kill Web, enabling broader visibility, faster decision-making, and more precise strikes. At each stage, new developments are being implemented.
Investment in human capital continues. More than 25 partnerships with educational institutions have already been established, and an Innovation Hub for youth has been launched.
“We will form a unified innovation vertical: education—science—industry. We plan to actively integrate the invaluable experience of veterans into the defense-industrial sector,” concluded Denys Shmyhal.
