Former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and Lasar's Group founder Pavlo Yelizarov have created a defense company called Mission Defense Partners (MDP).
Yelizarov spoke about this in an interview with DOU.
The company will develop new technologies for the military, in particular inexpensive missiles for intercepting "Shaheds," modernizing drones, and attracting foreign investment in Ukrainian defense startups.
What is known about Mission Defense Partners
Mission Defense Partners was created on the basis of a civilian production facility that previously manufactured drones for the Lasar's Group unit. According to Yelizarov, up to a thousand people work at this production facility.
It began to be developed back in 2022, when Lasar's Group could not find drones on the market that would meet the needs of the unit. At that time, the team created a separate production facility according to the technical specifications of the military. At the same time, Yelizarov noted that currently the production facility is only 30% loaded. The remaining capacity, in his opinion, could be used to manufacture products for export.
Currently, MDP has three co-owners. Yelizarov owns approximately a third of the business, and Fedorov is another co-owner. The name of the third partner is not yet being disclosed.
One of the main areas of Mission Defense Partners is the development of inexpensive missiles for destroying Russian attack drones. According to Yelizarov, the company wants to create a short-range missile with a radar homing head. It should intercept targets at a distance of up to 15 km and operate in bad weather, including during fog, rain, and strong wind.
The approximate cost of one such missile should be $20–25 thousand.
"Our task is to develop an all-weather missile for destroying 'Shaheds,'" Yelizarov noted.
He explained that the company also wants to improve software for drones and develop artificial intelligence technologies. In his opinion, further increasing the effectiveness of drones increasingly depends on software solutions, and not only on the characteristics of the hardware itself.
In addition to missiles, MDP will work on systems for guiding drones in the air and other solutions for air defense.
Negotiations with Palantir and investments in Defense Tech
A separate area of Mission Defense Partners will focus on attracting investments in Ukrainian defense startups.
Yelizarov said that together with Fedorov he visited Italy and the United States, where they held negotiations with potential international partners. In particular, Fedorov met with representatives of the American company Palantir. The parties discussed financing Ukrainian startups within the framework of an investment program.
According to Yelizarov, agreements with Palantir have not yet been signed. He hopes that arrangements can be reached in the near future.
Among the technologies in which MDP is interested in investing are drone guidance systems, air defense solutions, and short-range missiles.
What Fedorov previously said about his Defense Tech projects
Earlier, Mykhailo Fedorov announced the creation of what he called the largest venture fund in Ukraine in the Defense Tech sector. He plans to invest in Ukrainian defense startups and existing companies, as well as create new businesses himself.
Among the priority areas, Fedorov named the robotization of the front line, the development of fast interceptor drones, inexpensive missiles, and AI-enabled weapons systems.
Fedorov's press service previously clarified to AIN that the defense company, the venture fund, and the analytical center for forecasting the development of the war are three separate projects that his team is working on.