Ukraine made military history last week: One of its newest drones shot down a very expensive Russian fighter jet. Yet just as historic was who won credit for this feat.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy first congratulated the military. But then he thanked “everyone developing and deploying new technological solutions.” By “everyone,” he meant thousands of people, even those tinkering with drones in their garage.
The Russian invasion has ignited a burst of ingenious engineering in Ukraine and spawned hundreds of startups competing to push the boundaries of drone warfare week by week. Each milestone in drones on the battlefield has slowed Russia’s capabilities. It has also inspired Europe and the United States to boost their defense innovation.
“80% of Russian casualties in Ukraine are caused by low-cost … drones,” U.S. Rep. Pat Harrigan posted on social media last month. “If America doesn’t start investing in fast, scalable drone tech to match this shift, we’ll lose the next war before it starts.”
This global attention has sparked interest in the source of Ukraine’s ingenuity – other than the war-defining purpose of defending national sovereignty. Private investment in homegrown defense technology is one big driver. Last year, spending in that sector rose 900%, according to the Ukrainian Council of Gunsmiths.
Just as critical is the role of the government as an incubator. It supports a competitive market among defense companies that also allows a sharing of ideas, or what is called a “united coordination platform.”
This mix of freedom and cooperation – something missing in Russia’s state-run, top-down approach in military manufacturing – gives Ukraine an advantage that helps make up for its smaller population. Another advantage is progress in preventing corruption in defense procurement, helped by a climate of transparency that creates a level playing field.
“Our military tech is just miles from where everyone else is, nobody can innovate as quickly as we can because we have to,” Daniel Bilak, a volunteer soldier with the Ukrainian forces, told Euronews.
Ukraine’s innovative spirit was honed during the dark decades of Soviet rule in the 20th century. Its people realized that sovereignty exists in each individual, not just in the nation. That heritage of independent thinking is now playing out in drone victories. No wonder President Zelenskyy thanked Ukraine’s creative engineers as much as the military.
