The former Google CEO has become a frequent visitor to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, actively investing in defense tech. According to Ekonomichna Pravda, Schmidt’s company is behind the development of one of the most effective drone interceptors.

• As the publication reports, it’s Schmidt’s team that developed the interceptor drone now most commonly used to take down Shahed drones. For security reasons, the exact name of the UAV remains undisclosed.
• In addition to the interceptor, his team is working on two more drones: medium-range strike UAVs and FPV drones, all built around artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology.

Scroll.media‘s sources confirm that Schmidt’s team began deploying these interceptor drones to shoot down «suicide drones» as early as February–March, following a presentation of their capabilities to Mykhailo Fedorov. The interceptors were handed over to several mobile units in the Kyiv region, which agreed to test them and expand their use.

Schmidt was also among the first foreign investors to back Ukraine’s growing defense tech sector. He invested $10 million in the D3 fund, which started out as an accelerator and later pivoted to direct investments. These days, almost all of Schmidt’s efforts are focused on defense technologies — not just in Ukraine, but worldwide.

However, as Ekonomichna Pravda notes, not everyone is happy with Schmidt’s activities in Ukraine. Some sources argue he is using the country as a testing ground for technologies he could later sell at a higher price to other nations.