Palantir to fund Ukrainian interceptor UAV company targeting Russia's Geran-5

Still image from video shared by Mykhailo Fedorov depicting Russia's Geran-5 OWA UAV moments before being struck by a new interceptor developed by an unnamed defence technology company. (Mykhailo Fedorov )

A new defence technology company being launched by former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov will produce interceptor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed to target jet-powered Russian UAVs, with Palantir Technologies as its first investor, an industry source involved with the matter confirmed to Janes on 13 October 2026.

One of the key products in the unnamed technology company's portfolio will be an interceptor UAV which struck down two Geran-5 turbojet-engined UAVs in the span of one month in combat tests, Mykhailo Fedorov told Janes on 13 October. Crews from the Lasar's Group unit, which operates within the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU), have been credited by Fedorov for carrying out the tests in Kyiv.

“By the end of 2026, we plan to produce hundreds of these interceptors [UAVs] per month. I'm confident that Russia can be stopped,” Fedorov said. The interceptor UAV can reach speeds that enable it to intercept one-way attack (OWA) UAVs equipped with turbojet engines, including Geran-5 UAVs, “before they reach a city,” he added.

The UAV is currently operated by a human pilot, but the aim is to make it autonomous with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), Fedorov confirmed. In a 12 October social media post, Fedorov said the goal was to make the interceptor “fully autonomous, capable of detecting and engaging Russian drones without operator involvement”. No other details were provided to Janes on the interceptor's level of autonomy.

The future development of Ukrainian interceptors includes attempts at automation with little to no human involvement, Janes