Danylo Tsvok (35), head of the A1 artificial intelligence center under the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, gave an exclusive interview to Kyodo News in Kyiv on the 3rd, positioning AI as a core means of resolving the manpower shortage. He stated that Ukraine plans to make a large number of combat tasks unmanned and autonomous within three to five years, adding that “asymmetric measures are very important, and AI is the best choice.”
Tsvok assumed the post in March this year, and this was his first interview with Japanese media since taking office. He revealed that some AI-equipped drones have already been deployed in actual combat against Russia, and can automatically identify and strike targets. Regarding Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities, Ukraine has provided troops with “an autonomous mechanism from planning to target locking and conducting strikes.” Ukraine is collaborating with U.S. high-tech companies to accelerate the introduction of AI. Tsvok believes that Ukraine has accumulated “the world’s largest-scale war data” and is expected to become a development hub for next-generation technological solutions. He also expressed that he is “open” to cooperation with countries such as Japan, which has extensive experience in robotics.