Ukrainian officials have advocated for the “full integration of artificial intelligence and autonomous systems” into warfare during a recent defence conference.
• Thu, 30 Apr 2026 • Tech
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, made the comments during discussions around drone technology and Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil facilities at the Kyiv Security Forum this month.
Bundanov advocated for the development of drones capable of independently identifying targets and manoeuvring, as well as the full integration of artificial intelligence.
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“In military terms, we are at a stage where the quantitative increase in drones no longer solves the issue fundamentally. Both we and the enemy have reached a certain maximum in the use of existing control technologies. The next stage is the full integration of artificial intelligence,” he said.
“We need a transition to autonomous systems that can identify targets and manoeuvre independently. Ukraine already has such developments, and I am convinced that they will soon become a surprise for the enemy.”
Western spectators and governments have previously opposed the use of autonomously targeting drones due to ethical considerations, the prospect of misidentifying targets, and the fear of unintended consequences.
Nevertheless, a number of countries are allegedly developing the technology as a priority, including China, Russia, and Iran.
This article was originally published on Cyber Daily’s sister brand, Defence Connect.
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David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.