The head of the Intelligence Support Center and the Victory Drones Project, Maria Berlinska, shared insights with The Ukrainian Week about the progress of aerial reconnaissance, missed opportunities, public figures promising a “quick victory,” the current situation on the front line, homemade drones, the presidential engineering initiative, and the imperative to “address the root causes.”
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“We should fight with technologies, not people. I’ve been repeating this for over ten years now”
“For the past decade, I have focused on the technological militarisation of our society. As Ukrainians, we lack the resources to defend ourselves against a significantly stronger and larger adversary. Comparing the Ukrainian military-industrial complex to Russia’s is absurd—our economies, armament capabilities, and industrial volumes are incomparable. Regrettably, we’ve seen losses in our rocket and aviation industries. The enterprises within Ukroboronprom [Ukraine’s state-owned defence enterprise – ed.] simply cannot fulfil the demands of the frontline,” Maria explains.
She continues: “But the war has been ongoing since 2014, and it’s impossible to put it on pause. There are methods that enable Ukrainians—thanks to the cleverness, inventiveness, and collective engineering effort of our people—to defend themselves using relatively affordable and straightforward systems. A prime example is the use of FPV drones. These are essentially hobbyist drones used worldwide for races and competitions. Ukrainians began employing them for defence purposes as early as 2015. These drones are fitted with explosive devices, allowing for precision strikes that keep the enemy at a distance, preventing them from closing in. This approach significantly reduces the risk to soldiers’ lives. I have been repeating the mantra ‘fight with technologies, not people’ for the eleventh year now. I reiterate that it is possible to defend oneself with inexpensive technological solutions that can be easily scaled.”
“If we simplify things greatly, firstly, my work and the work of my team is about teaching people to use technologies. It’s not just about drones but about the ecosystem of technologies because a drone doesn’t exist in a vacuum. There are also radios for transmitting information, software for detecting the enemy, repeaters, starlinks, and much more. We teach people to use all of this to protect themselves and destroy the enemy. Secondly, we teach people to manufacture these technologies. Thirdly, we actually popularise the field itself. So that people understand that it’s possible to develop and apply technologies.”
“Fourthly, we advocate for the development of the industry and deregulate legislation. To simplify the rules of the game—for example, if you want to manufacture drones or radios, it doesn’t matter! The state should give you the green light and stop hassling you at customs and the tax offices, creating unnecessary bureaucracy. You should be able to import drone components because 90% of the parts for the technologies produced in Ukraine are imported.”
Maria continued, adding, “Unfortunately, as a country, we did not look several steps ahead; we didn’t focus on this industry or build our own chip manufacturing plants. That’s why we source many components from various countries, including European countries, America, Canada, and China.”
“We have made significant progress in this area. For instance, the elimination of customs duties and VAT, thanks to the persistent efforts of attentive individuals in positions of power. Also, there is an increase in margins for manufacturers (it was previously just a few per cent). We successfully removed the oversight of the State Export Control Service over the import of components, a battle that lasted over half a year. Why did the State Export Control Service control imports? Their role was to prevent re-export, such as technologies being redirected to Afghanistan. However, they overstepped their bounds and blocked imports without their licenses and permits. As a country without its own substantial manufacturing of technological components, Ukraine should have been aggressively sourcing from all around the world. Yet, they obstructed this throughout 2022. Essentially, they— the State Export Control Service— gave Putin at least a year.”
Today, we are moving faster than ever before – but slower than we could
“It pains me to see all of this, and I understand that if we had started earlier—2015, 2017, even 2019—we could have reached the current level in just a few years. It’s frustrating because I feel like a mad city prophetess. I’ve been saying for a long time that a major war with Russia is inevitable, and if we don’t focus on drones and other military technologies, it will be a catastrophe. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened. When the war subsided after 2016-2017, everyone became completely indifferent… And there were only a few dozen of us ‘mad city prophetesses’ in the whole country—people who kept going out and explaining that this is a crucial industry. And then the largest technological war in the history of humanity happened, one we were not prepared for.”
“We’re moving faster now than ever before. Yet, we could be moving even faster, and that’s the problem! If we had faced the enemy with the same level of development we have now, we would have saved lives and not lost territories. Right now, we’re playing catch-up. But the enemy has already learned from the mistakes of the first six months. The enemy is evolving too,” Maria admits.
She continues: “While building Khaymars and F-16s in two to three years is out of the question—it’s a lengthy process requiring substantial budgets—we recognize its necessity for winning the war. That’s why we’re advocating for weapons procurement now. However, on the tactical level, where soldiers are in trenches, they can effectively halt a tank attack using FPV drones. These drones are also used to clear positions. At the operational level, strike drones enable us to target the enemy’s warehouses. Our strike aircraft can fly and strike a warehouse 70 or 100 kilometres away, disrupting the enemy’s supply of artillery shells. This disruption can provide at least 3-5 days of respite.”
“And deep strikes… We’re doing it right now, but sadly, it’s very minimal. We could be hitting Russian logistics centres, command posts, oil depots… Yes, we are weaker, but we can knock out the enemy’s military-industrial complex worth billions of dollars with relatively cheap systems. The worse the situation becomes, the more attention is paid to this. That’s why it hurts so much. We wasted time.”
If you genuinely care for your people, you must speak the truth
Maria poses the inevitable question – what could have been done differently? “To uncover the answer to ‘how did this happen?’, consider who, over the past decade, even before the summer of 2022 during the full-scale invasion, was contemplating the use of drones. The leaders of Ukroboronprom, members of the Defense Committee, ministers, and heads of military departments—these are the individuals whose primary responsibilities involve strategic planning for national defence. Anyone claiming to be a seasoned statesman or military expert should always be vetted with three crucial questions.”
“The first question: Did this person foresee a full-scale invasion? This assesses their grasp of reality. Did they truly comprehend that Russia poses a real threat? Were they aware that Russia’s ambitions wouldn’t cease? When we, battle-hardened soldiers, warned of Russia’s inevitable return, we were met with scepticism,” she explains. “The second question: Did this person ever bring up anything about the advancement of technologies, about the necessity for Ukrainians to invest in them? This shows an awareness of future trends in warfare. Thirdly, what did the person in question actually do? They use all these big phrases: “As Minister of Defence, they deployed a thousand tanks”, or “As a member of the defence committee, they kickstarted drone production,” “They enlisted in the army…”.
Maria believes that if a person can answer at least one of these questions, it’s worth having a conversation with them. “If not, and we keep listening to this person, then we will lose once more. Why? Because we’ll be fed sweet lies about nearing victory, and we won’t be doing what could actually save our lives.”
“Now, the question we should be asking is ‘how do we avoid losing the war?’ rather than ‘when will we win the war?’ The only viable answer lies in the technological militarisation of our society and asymmetric warfare. We need to adopt a network-centric approach. This battle of David against Goliath must be fought using technology, for we are protecting our people. We are restructuring the military command system. We are considering engineering obstacles. We are planning several steps ahead. And we are making an effort to listen to those whose predictions about war have proven accurate,” she asserts.
“People didn’t evacuate their children [when full-scale invasion began – ed.], thinking the war would last just “two or three weeks.” They didn’t evacuate their elderly or disabled parents either. Two or three weeks! People tend to believe what suits them, of course. But as responsible adults, it’s our duty not to deceive our people but to confront reality. They called me the biggest pessimist in this war, but later people came and said, “Maria, you were a realist,” she sighed.
Maria is convinced that if political leaders truly love their people and want to protect them, they must speak the truth. “What can we expect in the spring? We may likely continue to gradually lose territories. Some areas may see consolidation. In certain places, we might make slight advances on smaller fronts. I don’t foresee any major breakthroughs this spring. The enemy forces will group. We will experience a significant decline in weapon supply. This means one thing: our losses will increase.”
“The logic of this war is quite straightforward. The more we put into the fire of war—pickup vehicles, artillery, shells, drones—the more people survive and live. The less we put in—the more dead and wounded.”
Maria thinks that while the USA will offer the aid Ukraine has been requesting, it’s unlikely to be to the extent Ukrainians truly need, and it will likely come with significant delays. “The whole country needs to come together and work as one. We have to realise that hard work is inevitable, one way or another. The crucial question is whether it’s for our self-defence or in Russian concentration camps.”
A drone capable of burning down a Russian tank can be made in a kitchen
“When I talk about ‘work,’ I mean something tangible and practical. I strongly encourage all Ukrainians to consider training in tactical medicine—it’s a skill anyone can acquire. It’s beneficial for everyone to begin learning how to fly drones, perhaps by setting up a basic simulator to develop these abilities. Furthermore, in our schools, we should expand our curriculum to include more than just basic tasks like making dumplings or carpentry. It’s crucial to teach our children about robotics and programming, providing them with essential skills for the future,” says Maria.
She suggests that at the level of journalists and bloggers, Ukrainians should learn to filter out the noise of unnecessary information and instead focus on updates on drones, manufacturing developments, training opportunities, or preparation; that’s where the attention should be directed. “It’s absolutely vital to rally resources and push for weapons for Ukraine with all our might. Without this support, we won’t be able to withstand the challenges ahead. This includes not just bolstering our local production capabilities but also acquiring essential systems like artillery, aviation, and air defence.”
Maria urges people to take the initiative, encouraging them to train and acquire new skills. “Learn how to build drones. We offer a free course called ‘People’s FPV’ on Prometheus by Victory Drones, with over 20,000 people already enrolled. You can create a drone capable of taking down a Russian tank right in your own kitchen. Additionally, we are launching an ‘incubator’ for those looking to transition from ‘kitchen drones’ to manufacturing. We provide training on working with investors, securing production grants, and obtaining orders from the government and charitable foundations—all at no cost. Moreover, on Prometheus, we have another course called ‘UAV Engineer’, which lays a solid foundation for beginners.”
When it comes to local government bodies, she urges them to “refrain from allocating funds towards endless landscaping and paving projects. Instead, invest in what truly protects the people. By doing so, you are investing first and foremost in your own security.”
She goes on to explain, “If we fail to shield the soldier in the trench with FPV drones today, lives will be lost. We’ll end up compensating grieving families, caring for orphaned children, and sending someone else to the front lines in his place. When allocating funds from our local budgets, funded by our taxes, the priority should always be safeguarding those on the frontline.”
“I can’t dictate to the President what steps to take, but I’d like him to contemplate the idea of an engineering initiative. Bring together the top engineers in the country and focus on staying ahead of the curve, several steps ahead. We already see the direction in which the Russians are moving. They’re progressing towards autonomous robotic systems—ground-based, water-based, and airborne. They’re developing automatic optical aiming and navigation systems where drones operate autonomously, rendering traditional electronic warfare methods ineffective. There are several crucial technological trends to consider.”
“Technologies dictate the path of the war. The Russians are on the brink of a technological breakthrough in various areas. To prevent ourselves from constantly fighting yesterday’s battles, we must assemble the nation’s top engineers immediately—about 40-50 brilliant minds representing the state. They should embark on an engineering endeavour that reports to the President monthly. Collective intelligence is paramount in this undertaking. This is the approach taken by leaders of many countries during wartime,” Maria concludes.
“This is crucial for all of us, regardless of our professions, age, region, or level of education. Today, we find ourselves in a shared crisis. They aim to obliterate us as a nation, as individuals, as a community. Our resources are dwindling rapidly. It’s imperative that we channel these scarce resources towards addressing the root causes, not just the aftermath. When a Russian tank advances to a position, it lays waste to half a village or half a block. The aftermath? Hundreds of dead or wounded, compensation payouts, prosthetics, medical treatments, first aid supplies, and shattered infrastructure. The tank itself costs several million dollars, but the aftermath runs into hundreds of millions. And it will affect our entire lives for years,” she explains. “Yet, this tank can be neutralised. Four or five precision FPV drones—each costing two or three thousand dollars—can prevent consequences that would otherwise cost hundreds of millions.”
“So I urge everyone: let’s not spend our entire lives dealing with the consequences; instead, let’s focus today on addressing the root cause.”
