The drone factory in Kyiv, destroyed on Friday by a Russian ballistic missile, belonged to an American corporation registered in the state of Delaware - this appears to be the first instance during the war in which Moscow has specifically targeted an American company. The Guardian reports on this, citing Dengi.ua.
What Terminal Autonomy Produced in Kyiv
According to a source familiar with the company’s operations, Terminal Autonomy manufactured high-precision drones for “deep strikes” equipped with navigation systems resistant to Russian electronic jamming.
The term “terminal autonomy” describes the final phase of a kamikaze drone attack, when artificial intelligence takes control of the weapon after the enemy jams radio waves or mobile communications.
Government documents show that the corporation was incorporated in Delaware in 2023. The company’s website states that it develops and supplies AI-controlled loitering munitions and high-precision weapons, which are already being actively used against enemy forces on the front lines.
Terminal Autonomy did not respond to an email request for comment. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense also did not respond to the letter.
Why Did Russia Target an American Factory?
Anthony Vinci, a former high-ranking U.S. intelligence official and author of The Fourth Intelligence Revolution: The Future of Espionage and the Battle to Save America, noted that the Russians do not care who owns the production facility - to them, it is still a target, regardless of whether it is American or belongs to someone else.
In early July, Donald Trump, who had previously been rather lukewarm about arming Ukraine, announced that the U.S. would grant Kyiv a license to manufacture Patriot air defense missiles. According to Vinci, if Patriot missiles or any other American system were manufactured in Ukraine, the Russians would likely attack that factory as well.
What Russia Reported About the Strike on the Plant
The Russian state news agency TASS was the first to report on the attack on Sunday, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense. The report did not disclose that the plant belongs to an American company, but it did mention that “specialists from a Ukrainian-American company” were working there. TASS also specifically noted that the plant manufactured AQ-400 Scythe and AQ-100 Bayonet drones.
According to a source familiar with the situation at the company, no one was killed during the attack.
