Dorozvidka #50: Ukraine and the Middle East, Yarmak and Darknode, plus updates from UFORCE, Vyriy Industries and Fire Point

In 50th edition of Dorozvidka:

• 11 countries have approached Ukraine with requests regarding interceptor drones and other technologies to counter Shahed UAVs;
• Oleksandr Yarmak spoke about the Darknode unit, which is among the leaders in intercepting Shahed drones;
• Updates from UForce, the first Ukrainian deftech unicorn, including Magura as a carrier for interceptor drones;
• Vyriy Industries founder Oleksii Babenko shared company updates in a long interview;
• Fire Point founder Denys Shtilerman discussed the development of the company’s ballistic program and upgrades to the FP-2 drone.

The world lining up for Ukrainian interceptor drones

Earlier, Defender Media reported, citing Financial Times, that the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar are interested in purchasing interceptor drones from the Ukrainian company TAF Industries. At the same time, Reuters reported that SkyFall, which produces the P1-Sun interceptor, has also received requests from allies and Middle Eastern countries.

On March 9, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has already received 11 requests from countries, including Iran’s neighbours, European states and the United States. They are interested in security cooperation with Ukraine, particularly in countering Shahed drones and similar threats.

“There is clear interest in Ukraine’s experience in protecting lives — interceptor drones, electronic warfare systems and training,” Zelenskyy said. According to him, Ukraine has already responded to some of these requests with concrete solutions and support.

Slavik instead of Mavic, the Sokil reconnaissance wing and the Veresen mother drone: updates from Vyriy

Militarnyi published a lengthy video podcast featuring Vyriy Industries founder Oleksii Babenko.

Among the key updates from the interview:

• Vyriy has developed a beacon module that allows drones to navigate toward a signal even when GPS and communications are jammed;
• the company has codified and launched serial production of the frontline reconnaissance UAV Sokil;
• Vyriy has also developed new versions of the Bliskavka drones with alternative control systems and is working on terminal guidance systems;
• low-volume production of the Veresen drone mothership is expected to begin in April 2026;
• the company’s engineers are also developing an analogue of the DJI Mavic reconnaissance quadcopter, currently called “Slavik.”

Magura as an interceptor carrier and other updates from UForce

The Ukrainian Magura naval drone has received a previously unknown modification designed to carry interceptor drones. Footage of the tests was published on X by The Economist correspondent Oliver Carroll.

The video shows a container opening on the sea drone, launching an interceptor that detects and destroys an aerial target — a fixed-wing drone used as a test target.

The system could potentially allow Ukrainian forces to intercept Russian reconnaissance drones and loitering munitions launched from Crimea, directly over the Black Sea.

UFORCE has also expanded its Nemesis drone lineup. New versions include kamikaze drones and Nemesis-mini. According to the company, the new model is roughly half the size of the base version and is designed for more localised missions.

Yarmak on Darknode

One of the pioneers of interceptor drone warfare — both in Ukraine and globally — is the Darknode battalion within the 412th Nemesis Brigade. The unit is commanded by musician and serviceman Oleksandr Yarmak.

He joined the military on the second day of Russia’s full-scale invasion and has since progressed from an ordinary soldier to a unit commander.

The first attempts to intercept Shahed drones in autumn 2024 were unsuccessful and “felt like flying into the dark,” Yarmak recalls. Despite that, the unit later became one of the leaders in the number of Shahed drones destroyed in the Army of Drones Bonus system.

How Yarmak is building an anti-Shahed battalion, how much a Shahed interception mission should cost, and how the war for control of the skies may evolve in 2026 — read in his interview with Forbes Ukraine.

Denys Shtilerman on Fire Point’s ballistic program and FP-2 upgrades

There is hardly a week without news or interviews from Fire Point. This time, the company’s co-founder and chief designer, Denys Shtilerman, appeared on Army TV.

He spoke about the advantages of the FP-7 ballistic missile compared to the American ATACMS system. Shtilerman also discussed the company’s next model, FP-9, which he says will be significantly faster than any Western or Russian medium-range ballistic missile.

According to him, FP-9 could strike targets in Moscow. He added that FP-7 is expected to enter combat use by summer 2026, while FP-9 should undergo its first tests in early summer.

In addition, Fire Point is working on increasing the warhead weight of the FP-2 strike drone to 158 kg while maintaining a 200 km range. To achieve this, the company developed a fuel tank integrated inside the wing. The design is currently undergoing codification by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence.

The drone is also being modified to meet military requirements — specifically the ability to penetrate 15 cm of concrete without destroying the warhead casing.