Ukraine Pushes 155mm Howitzer Drones as 35-Year-Old Minister Backs Autonomous Weapons
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 15
Ukraine Pushes 155mm Howitzer Drones as 35-Year-Old Minister Backs Autonomous Weapons
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 15
Mykhailo Fedorov, four months into the defense minister job, is pressing Ukrainian developers to expand autonomous weapons, including a drone designed to substitute for a 155mm howitzer by carrying and dropping shells.
At a recent defense exhibition, the 35-year-old minister asked builders of a large carbon-fiber drone with roughly 8-foot arms whether it could be made bigger, underscoring Kyiv’s push for heavier unmanned strike systems.
Fedorov argues warfare should shift as much combat as possible onto machines and says fully autonomous weapons that can make lethal decisions will eventually be central to national security.
His stance reflects how Ukraine’s war has turned the country into a live testing ground for new battlefield technology, with drone innovation increasingly shaping wider military doctrine.
As Ukraine exports its killer drone tech, who will control where these 'new nukes' end up?
With robots poised to replace infantry, will the final kill decision truly remain in human hands?
Can Ukraine's AI-powered army win the war if Russia can sever its connection to the cloud?