Russian strike destroys US-owned drone factory in Kyiv - The Guardian
Illustrative photo: aftermath of a Russian attack on Ukraine (Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Telegram channel)
US-owned facility hit
According to The Guardian, a production facility operated by Terminal Autonomy was destroyed in the Russian strike on Kyiv. The company is registered in the US state of Delaware.
A source familiar with the company's operations told the newspaper that the facility produced high-precision long-range drones equipped with guidance systems designed to withstand Russian electronic warfare interference.
The Guardian noted that this may be the first known case since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in which a Russian missile destroyed a facility owned by a US company.
What makes these drones unique
According to The Guardian, the name Terminal Autonomy refers to a technology in which artificial intelligence takes control of the drone during the final stage of flight after electronic warfare systems have disrupted communications.
Information published on the company's official website states that it develops AI-enabled loitering munitions and precision-guided weapons that are already being used against targets along the front line.
According to publicly available registration records, Terminal Autonomy was incorporated in the US state of Delaware in 2023.
Company did not comment on the strike
According to The Guardian, Terminal Autonomy had not responded to journalists' requests for comment on the consequences of the strike at the time of publication. Ukraine's Defense Ministry also did not provide a comment.
What experts say
Former senior US intelligence official Anthony Vinci told The Guardian that the ownership of a facility does not affect Russia's target selection.
"The Russians don’t care who owns the manufacturing facility. It’s still a target. They don’t care if it’s American or someone else’s."
As previously reported, Ukraine's acting foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said that during Russia's massive attack on July 30, a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile crossed into Polish airspace. According to Polish media reports, authorities are also considering the possibility that a Russian missile fell on Polish territory.
