Ukraine is studying the possibility of exchanging digital data from the battlefield with allies: Fedorov
Ukraine is considering the possibility of sharing digital data from the battlefield with allies, which could become one of its advantages to strengthen its position during negotiations with partners for support. This was stated by the Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov in an interview with Reuters.
“The data we have at our disposal is invaluable for any country,” Fedorov emphasized, adding that Ukraine is currently “very cautious” about their exchange.
Large data sets are key to training artificial intelligence (AI) models that can recognize patterns and make predictions. This need is particularly relevant for the global defense sector. If similar data can be purchased commercially in civilian industries, then the 21st century war between two technologically advanced armies gave Ukraine a unique array of information from the battlefield that has no analogues in the world. This can help Kyiv prove its value as an ally of Washington, the article says.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russia in 2022, Ukraine has accumulated vast arrays of detailed combat statistics. Thanks to the widespread use of drones, Kyiv has millions of hours of video footage of air battles.
“I think this is one of the cards, as our colleagues and partners say, for building mutually beneficial relations. The demand for data is incredibly high, but we are currently forming a policy on how to properly organize this process,” Fedorov explained.
Ukraine also seeks to position itself as a testing ground for international defense companies, inviting them to test new weapons on its territory. According to the minister, almost 1,000 applications have already been submitted, and 50 different types of weapons are “on the way to Ukraine”.
Fedorov said Ukraine is using artificial intelligence to help pilot drones, including several systems used for long-range strikes deep into Russia. According to him, computers are capable of scanning detailed aerial photographs and satellite images, looking for targets that would take a human “dozens of hours” to detect.
He emphasized that work is underway to create systems that will make drones fully autonomous, which will allow them to fly without an operator and operate in flocks. The minister also noted that Ukraine uses the technologies of the American company Palantir to analyze Russian attacks in order to identify patterns or track Moscow’s disinformation campaigns.
At the same time, according to him, not all Palantir developments in Ukraine have a military purpose. For example, the system helped determine where to build bomb shelters for schools or which areas should be demined as a priority. Fedorov added that currently 80% to 90% of Russian targets on the battlefield are hit by drones. This is more than in 2024, when almost 70% of the enemy’s manpower and 75% of their vehicles were destroyed by drones.
