Ex-Ukraine Drone Chief Fedorov: "War of AI Autonomous Drones Is Coming"

Mykhailo Fedorov, the former Ukrainian Minister of Defense who led the military's drone-centric modernization before being recently dismissed, has stated that technology-driven warfare strategies must continue.

In an interview with the U.S. daily The New York Times released on the 30th local time, former Minister Fedorov said, "Robots and drones must fight wherever possible," adding, "That is the way to save the lives of our soldiers."

He emphasized, "Only an army equipped with inexpensive, smart, and mass-producible weapons can survive in the new era of warfare."

Former Minister Fedorov also forecasted that the direction of future warfare lies in the "robotization of the front lines."

He explained that instead of soldiers directly entering dangerous battlefields, drones and remote-control systems will carry out combat, further evolving into a form where artificial intelligence-based autonomous drones engage in combat with one another.

During his six-month tenure as Defense Minister, he pushed these visions into actual military restructuring.

He expanded the development of domestic drones to reduce dependence on Chinese combat drones and was credited with significantly strengthening Ukraine's drone capabilities.

While this strategy earned praise for bringing changes to how warfare is conducted alongside popular support, it also sparked conflicts with the traditional military establishment.

Ultimately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed former Minister Fedorov on the 17th.

Former Minister Fedorov argued that while his dismissal might slow down the pace of military reform, the process has already entered an irreversible stage.

He explained that Ukrainian drones currently account for about 95% of Russian military casualties, making them more effective than all conventional weapons combined.

However, he stated that his condition for returning to the Zelenskyy administration would be reinstatement as Defense Minister, and that otherwise, he has no intention of returning to the government.

He also claimed that lobbying by defense contractors lay behind his dismissal.

At the same time, he stated that regardless of whether he returns to the government, he will continue to support the direction of introducing robotic systems to the battlefield.

He emphasized, "Most frontline infantry can be replaced by detection sensors, automated turrets, and drones."

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.