Dorozvidka #68: What’s next for Fedorov, Ukraine’s UGV lands on the Kinburn Spit, Smetanin steps down, and FREYJA

In this edition of Dorozvidka:

• Ukraine’s government steps down. What’s next for Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov?
• Europe launches the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile initiative, with Ukraine set to develop the interceptor missile;
• General Cherry secures a $5 million loan from Accordbank;
• A UGV equipped with a DevDroid turret lands on the Kinburn Spit;
• Ukraine to receive licences to produce French missiles, with US Patriot missiles potentially next;
• Fire Point develops its own turbojet engine for the Flamingo cruise missile;
• Herman Smetanin steps down as head of Ukroboronprom.

Ukraine’s government steps down. What’s next for Mykhailo Fedorov?

Ukraine is reshuffling its government. On Monday, the Verkhovna Rada voted to dismiss Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko.

Ahead of the vote, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced changes to the government’s political strategy and met with several officials seen as contenders for the premiership, including Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov and Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Koretskyi is widely viewed as the frontrunner.

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Fedorov was offered the post of prime minister but declined, preferring to complete the reforms he has launched at the Ministry of Defence. At the same time, the newspaper reports that Zelensky is considering Ihor Klymenko as a possible replacement for Fedorov at the defence ministry.

One of the reasons cited for a potential reshuffle is Fedorov’s reported conflict with senior military commanders, described in a recent The Economist article.

Europe launches FREYJA. Ukraine’s role: build the missiles

Following the meetings with prime ministerial candidates, Zelensky travelled to France, where he joined the leaders of Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom in launching the integrated anti-ballistic missile initiative FREYJA.

Zelensky said he expects the system to become operational within the next 12 months. He also noted that Fire Point, Thales, HENSOLDT, Diehl Defence, Saab, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, Weibel, Leonardo, MBDA, Eurosam, Safran and Destinus have joined the initiative.

“Ukraine can deliver its part — the anti-ballistic missile. We are now completing work on it. Others have the radars and other critical components,” Zelensky wrote.

Fire Point is one of the initiators of the FREYJA project. The president was apparently referring to the company’s interceptor missile, which Fire Point previously said could enter service by the end of 2027.

UGV with DevDroid turret lands on the Kinburn Spit

Soldiers from Ukraine’s 123rd Separate Territorial Defence Brigade carried out a unique operation on the Kinburn Spit, combining USV and UGV platforms in a single combat mission for the first time.

The mission used a ground platform fitted with the Wolly 7.62 remote-controlled weapon station developed by DevDroid. The UGV was delivered to the occupied shoreline by an unmanned surface vessel, then carried out its mission in an area where deploying troops would have posed an extremely high risk.

“The Kinburn Spit mission demonstrated the potential of multi-domain robotic operations, where maritime and ground unmanned platforms work together in a single mission,” said DevDroid CEO Yurii Poritskyi. “This could fundamentally change how combat operations are conducted, allowing one robotic system to deliver another into enemy-controlled territory to complete missions without exposing personnel.”

General Cherry secures $5m loan

Ukrainian UAV manufacturer General Cherry has secured a $5 million credit line from Accordbank. The company says the financing will be used to expand production capacity and fulfil new contracts.

Ukraine to manufacture French missiles under licence

Ukraine will receive licences to manufacture French long-range SCALP cruise missiles, AASM precision-guided air-to-ground bombs and Aster air defence interceptors.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the agreement following talks with Zelensky, according to Reuters.

Zelenskyy later thanked Macron and also announced an agreement with US President Donald Trump to obtain licences for manufacturing missiles for Patriot air defence systems.

“Our teams are now working to implement this truly historic political agreement,” he wrote.

Fire Point develops turbojet engine for Flamingo cruise missile

Fire Point has developed its own turbojet engine for the Flamingo cruise missile, the company’s chief engineer Denys Shtilerman said in an interview with LIGA.

According to Shtilerman, Fire Point is currently assembling 10 prototype engines for testing and plans to transition to its in-house engine in future production.

Herman Smetanin steps down as head of Ukroboronprom

Herman Smetanin has resigned as CEO of the state-owned defence conglomerate Ukroboronprom following the explosion at a state ammunition facility struck during a Russian missile attack on Vyshneve.

In his farewell statement, Smetanin thanked his colleagues and highlighted building a professional management team across Ukroboronprom and its enterprises as one of his key achievements.

The explosions occurred after Russia’s large-scale overnight strike on 6 July, killing nine people and injuring 58. On 9 July, Zelensky confirmed that an ammunition depot belonging to a Ukroboronprom enterprise had exploded during the attack and announced forthcoming management changes. On 12 July, the company dismissed the heads of two state-owned defence enterprises.

Serhii Boiev, who resigned yesterday as deputy defence minister, is expected to become the next head of Ukroboronprom.