Former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov Launches Defense Technology Firm With Palantir Chief as Investor

Mykhailo Fedorov is moving from Ukraine’s defense ministry into the defense industry, with Palantir chief executive Alex Karp prepared to put money into his new company.

Fedorov announced plans to build a firm focused on defense technologies. A statement from his team said the company would draw on his experience with modern warfare and aim to strengthen Ukraine while developing technologies that could help build a safer future for the world.

Karp said he had worked with Fedorov for five years. Palantir, the U.S. technology company that provides software for military use, has supplied Ukraine with software supporting its fight against Russia. Karp said the company being launched by Fedorov and his associates would have importance beyond Ukraine.

Fedorov met Karp in Washington and said on social media that he had also spent several days speaking with other U.S. investors and technology entrepreneurs. His plans follow a short tenure as Ukraine’s defense minister. The 35-year-old was dismissed in mid-July amid a political dispute with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which also prompted public protests.

Fedorov is regarded as a promoter of new technologies in Ukraine’s armed forces, including the broad use of drones and artificial intelligence. After leaving government, he criticized Kyiv authorities for what he called inefficiency, corruption and cronyism, saying these problems wasted Ukraine’s military potential. He had earlier said he planned several independent ventures, including work in the defense industry and the creation of a think tank.

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The new company will be built on Fedorov’s experience in modern warfare, and its main mission will be to strengthen Ukraine and develop defense technologies that will help build a safe future for the whole world.