Ukraine Advances Military AI Against Russia

KYIV, Ukraine – Rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in its military has become essential to Ukraine's survival against Russia, even as full battlefield integration remains several years away, a senior defense official said.

Danylo Tsvok, who leads the newly established Defense Artificial Intelligence Center under the Defense Ministry, told the Associated Press that AI already aids in holding territory and reducing risks to soldiers facing a larger adversary. "We need to be faster than the enemy in decision-making," Tsvok said. "AI is not only a competitive advantage. It's about our survival."

The center, set up last month, builds on Tsvok's prior role as the government's top civilian AI official. Ukraine and Russia are competing to deploy automated systems, including aerial drones, ground platforms and maritime units, many designed to resist heavy electronic warfare through autonomous targeting.

Ukraine's domestic arms industry has expanded to more than 2,000 manufacturers and technology firms. Developers are testing coordinated drone swarms to improve efficiency and lessen demands on human operators. Tsvok described AI as enabling automation of parts of the "kill chain,"...