Kyiv’s Mil-Tech, Drones Saving Refugee Lives, and Karp’s New Book

Many believe mil-tech is the Ukraine’s future. The country is now home to over 200 mil-tech companies, supported by the government and international VC funds like Eric Schmidt’s D3.

In Rwanda, drones save lives by delivering blood and medical supplies to refugee camps.

But first, Palantir’s CEO Alexander C. Karp, and Nicholas W. Zaminska, Head of Corporate Affairs are working on a book titled “The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West.” The book will be published in February 2025.

In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, they discuss thin and shallow patriotism, who build the weapons of the future, and for what purpose:

The Big Story

Is Mil-Tech Kyiv’s Future?

300,000 digital workers have turned Kyiv into the world’s mil-tech capital. Before the war, Ukraine had 20 mil-tech companies. Now, there are around 200, and many of them make drones.

“We don’t have as many human resources as Russia,” says Alex Bornyakow, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation to The Times, explaining why Ukraine is investing so heavily into drones. “They fight, they die, they send more people, they don’t care, but that’s not how we see war,” he continues.

Earlier this year, a village in eastern Ukraine was entirely liberated by unmanned systems. Drones bombed the occupiers, killing many of them.
“I see this as the future of conflict,” Bornyakov says.

The government is also running Brave 1, a platform for collaboration between stakeholders of the defence tech industry by providing them with organisational, informational, and financial support. Anyone with an idea can submit it directly on their website.

The Ukrainian mil-tech start-ups are receiving a lot of international attention and foreign investment is flowing in. One of the big players is D3 (Dare to Defend Democracy), backed by Eric Schmidt, Google's ex-CEO.

One of the startups D3 is backing, Swarmer, builds drones that can fight as a team:
“They can communicate with each other, making decisions on which one attacks, which gathers intelligence — and they’ll do it faster than any human,” says the founder Serhii Krupiienko to The Times.

Krupiienko believes that his mil-tech start-up could give Ukraine an edge, unleashing things that have never been seen before on the front line - an artificially intelligent “swarm” of up to seven drones capable of co-operating with each other to blow up tanks as well as spy on the enemy.
“Our core mission is to get robots to do the fighting, not humans,” says Krupiienko.

Bornyakov describes another technology they have tested - an unmanned vehicle mounted with a machine gun that could be programmed to shoot only Russians “based on the uniform they wear”.

“Every other nation is watching and learning,” says PW Singer, a bestselling American author of books on modern warfare. “Ukraine is bringing together new technologies, drones, and artificial intelligence. This will shape the future of warfare just as tanks, radios, and aircraft did in the 1930s Spanish Civil War.”

Last week, at the PowerUp Ukraine conference a lot of entrepreneurial voices could be heard of them. Among them was Anna Apostol from Mate Academy:
“Mil-tech is our future,” she said. “War is tragic and terrible, but Ukraine can lead in the mil-tech sector: we have talent for it.”

Drones Delivering Blood to Refugees in Rwanda

Last year, Save the Children renovated the medical centre at Mahama Refugee Camp and partnered with the San Francisco-based drone company Zipline, enabling quick delivery of blood and other medical supplies.

The drones are used to replenish the health centre’s small blood bank, which was established during the renovation. In an emergency, the drones can deliver blood from a medical warehouse to the centre within half an hour.

Zipline’s drones are fully autonomous and can travel at 70mph carrying up to a 400ml blood bag in ice.

Previously, all patients needing blood transfusions, including women suffering from postpartum haemorrhaging, were taken to Kirehe District, two hours away. Since the drones were introduced, the referrals have halved and the births at the camp’s medical centre have doubled to 1,256 compared to 672 the previous year.

Zipline started delivering blood and medical supplies to refugees in Rwanda already in 2016 and is now also working in Ghana, Nigeria, Cote’d’Ivoire, and Kenya. A study by researchers at the US’s Wharton School last year found Zipline’s deliveries had led to a 51% reduction in Rwanda of in-hospital maternal deaths due to postpartum haemorrhaging.

*A Zipline drone is being launched. Source: The Verge*

In the News

How a Texas Factory is Emerging as a Key Ammo Supplier for the US, Ukraine

A General Dynamics facility in Mesquite, Texas, is set to significantly boost the production of artillery shells for the U.S. and Ukraine. This plant, part of a broader Pentagon initiative to revamp and expand domestic munitions production, aims to increase U.S. output of 155mm shells from 30,000 to 100,000 per month by the end of 2025. The facility leverages advanced machinery from Turkey and Germany, reflecting a growing reliance on foreign technology to meet urgent defence needs.
Read more at Wall Street Journal.

Iran-Russia Military Technology Axis

A new military technology partnership between Iran and Russia is emerging, with significant implications for the U.S., Israel, and their allies. Russia is acquiring Iranian drones and related production know-how, while Iran seeks a range of Russian military technologies. This collaboration, supported by China, involves the exchange of finished military hardware and technology for producing rocket-propelled grenades, UAVs, and air defence systems.
Read more at Washington Post.

Ground Robots: The Next Game-Changer Technology in Warfare

Senior Ukrainian officials predict that ground robots will be the next transformative technology in warfare. These robots are expected to significantly enhance battlefield capabilities by performing tasks such as reconnaissance, bomb disposal, and direct combat. The integration of AI and robotics is poised to shift the dynamics of modern warfare, offering new strategic advantages.
Read more at CNN.

UN Chief Warns of Perils of ‘Weaponising Digital Technologies’

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned about the dangers of ‘weaponising digital technologies’ and malicious activities in cyberspace. He highlighted the growing threats posed by cyberattacks, misinformation, and the potential misuse of AI, urging global cooperation to ensure digital technologies are used responsibly and ethically. Guterres called for robust frameworks to protect human rights and maintain global peace.
Read more at Washington Post.

US Proposes Rules to Stop Americans from Investing in Chinese Technology with Military Uses

The U.S. has proposed new regulations to prevent American investments in Chinese technologies that could have military applications. These rules aim to curb the flow of capital into sectors that might enhance China’s military capabilities. The proposal reflects ongoing tensions between the U.S. and China over technology and security concerns, aiming to protect national interests.
Read more at Reuters.