Ukraine's Fedorov says Palantir CEO will be first major investor in new defence company - Reuters

Ukraine’s former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov is launching a new defence‑technology company, and Alex Karp, chief executive of Palantir Technologies, will be its first major investor. The announcement was made public on 1 September, with the two men meeting at Palantir’s Washington, DC office on 31 August to discuss the partnership.

According to a press release issued by Fedorov’s team, the new company will draw on Fedorov’s experience in modern technological warfare. Its primary mission is to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities and to develop technologies that can contribute to a safer future worldwide.

Fedorov, who was dismissed from his ministerial post in July, has been a longtime advocate of drone warfare and artificial‑intelligence applications in combat. His removal sparked protests that later subsided after he publicly called for wartime elections, an issue that has divided public opinion in Ukraine.

Since leaving office, Fedorov has said he intends to launch several initiatives, including a defence‑investment fund and a think‑tank. He and Karp have worked together for roughly half a decade, and Palantir has supplied software tools that support Ukraine’s war effort against Russia and its government operations.

In a video posted on Fedorov’s Telegram channel, Karp expressed confidence in the venture, stating that the company “will be defining for the world.” The collaboration marks Palantir’s first major equity investment in a defence‑technology startup linked to Ukraine.