Russian missile destroyed US-owned drone manufacturing plant during attack on Kyiv

A Russian ballistic missile destroyed a plant belonging to US drone manufacturer Terminal Autonomy during a Russian attack on Kyiv last week.

Source: The Guardian, ​​citing sources

Details: The Guardian said that this "appears to be the first time Moscow has targeted a US company".

According to a source familiar with the company's operations, Terminal Autonomy manufactures high-precision long-range strike drones equipped with guidance systems that are resistant to Russian electronic warfare jamming.

The Guardian noted that, judging by the company's name and technology, the drones use artificial intelligence that takes over control during the final stage of flight if electronic warfare systems or mobile communications suppress the control signals.

According to corporate registration records, the company was incorporated in the US state of Delaware in 2023. Its website states: "We deploy AI-guided loitering munitions and precision munitions, which are already in active service against enemy assets on the frontline."

The report added that neither Terminal Autonomy nor Ukraine's Defence Ministry had responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

According to a source familiar with the situation at the company, no one was killed in the attack.

Background:

• At the beginning of July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined the work that would begin after reaching a political agreement with US President Donald Trump on the licensing of the production of Patriot interceptors.
• Zelenskyy said that during his meeting with Trump and the US delegation they had discussed in detail granting Ukraine a licence to manufacture Patriot systems and he thanked the American side for the decision.
• On 28 July, Reuters reported that the Pentagon acknowledged the US currently lags significantly behind Ukraine in drone production.
• Ukraine and the US have signed a declaration of intent laying the groundwork for an unprecedented defence partnership, allowing Ukrainian drones to be exported to the US for military testing.
• Back in May, media reports said that the US and Ukrainian governments had drawn up a draft memorandum outlining the terms of a possible new defence agreement between the two countries focused on drones.
• On 8 July, during the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said that the US would purchase drones from Ukraine.

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