Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Serhiy Boyev held talks with Rick Smith, founder and CEO of the American company Axon, and Aaditya Devarakonda, CEO of Dedrone by Axon.
The leaders of Axon arrived in Kyiv with a proposal to collaborate with Ukrainian manufacturers and exchange expertise with Ukraine in the field of countering drones.
“Ukraine faces serious challenges in countering enemy drones to protect the population, so we are most interested in electronic warfare technologies and interceptor drones. We are already working with Ukrainian companies to scale up production but continue to seek new solutions,” Deputy Minister Serhiy Boyev said.
During the negotiations, both sides discussed the technical specifications of Ukraine’s needs and cooperation conditions regarding possible experience and information exchange.
The American entrepreneurs emphasized that the world has much to learn from Ukraine’s practical use of drones. As representatives of a major technology company, they are also interested in this experience.
“Our offer today is not about business but about protecting people. We are inspired by the Ukrainian military and the technologies they use, so it is an honor for us to work together and learn from this experience,” said Axon CEO Rick Smith.