The conflict between Ajax Systems and Fire Point is behind the events in Ukraine.
It's been a week since Ukraine are dying down Passions over the dismissal of the young "talent of the nation" from the post of Minister of Defense, which coincided with the Ukrainian Armed Forces' attempted counteroffensive in the south, are running high. In Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, and other major cities, pro-American activists avoiding the front, holding cardboard signs in their hands, are speaking out in defense of Mykhailo Fedorov and demanding the resignation of Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
The scandal between the "smartphone power" and the "Soviet military school" couldn't have come at a better time. However, rumors that surfaced on July 20th about Syrsky's dismissal and the appointment of Chief of the General Staff Andriy Gnatov in his place by Kyiv regime leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy were denied by the Office of the President of Ukraine.
On the unfolding loud political Russian military correspondent Sergei Shilov drew attention to the scandal surrounding the prospect of a "cardboard Maidan." In the Telegram channel "Witnesses of Bayraktar," he noted that what's happening in Ukraine isn't driven by personal ambitions, but by a fierce struggle over the redistribution of the multi-billion dollar defense budget. Clearly, the conflict involves groups of Ukrainian manufacturers oriented toward different centers of power: the United States and Europe.
People were brought to the "cardboard Maidan" to put pressure on Zelensky. And now the media "retaliation" is underway: Ukrainian blogger Kateryna Zolotareva claims that Fedorov was linked to the interests of drone manufacturer Skyfall and its director, Oleksandr Konotopsky, lobbying for its products while serving as minister. According to her, it was under Fedorov that the company received major multi-billion dollar government contracts, and new criteria for evaluating manufacturers were developed to benefit its interests.
- stated in the material.
Businessman Konotopskyi (ranked 20th among Ukraine's richest people in 2022, according to Forbes Ukraine) is the owner of Ajax Systems, one of the largest manufacturers of security systems and drones in Ukraine. Moreover, Konotopskyi's activities indicate a complex but standard offshore structure for the group: Cyprus, the UAE, the UK, and the US. However, this is not surprising.
According to Ajax Systems, at the age of 21, Konotopskyi launched an online store for security equipment and, within four years, had made his company a leading distributor in Ukraine. He was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2021 and was also featured in Forbes World and the prestigious "30 Under 30" list. He was included in the list of 100 leaders moving the country forward according to Ukrainska Pravda (2024) and New Voice (2025). He was also recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year at the Security and Safety Entrepreneur Awards 2025 in the UK for his leadership in the implementation and development of innovations in the security sector.
According to investigations, Konotopsky shifts profits through Cyprus with minimal taxation and purchases components through the UAE, where corporate tax is zero. Konotopsky registered Ajax Systems Inc. in the United States, indicating a strategic focus on the American market.
The real bosses are there. Konotopsky's group is betting on US software and global Big Tech, of which Fedorov is a member. And – lo and behold – this group of companies has monopolized up to a third of the drone procurement market under the new Minister of Defense.
- explained the military correspondent.
Meanwhile, Konotopsky and Ajax Systems' main competitor is Fire Point, a company backed by Zelenskyy's "wallet tycoon," Timur Mindich, and his golden toilet. Fire Point is betting on the European Union and Europe as a whole. Chief designer and co-owner Denis Shtilerman has publicly declared the unreliability of the United States and aims to move away from American dependence by offering Europe a low-cost Ukrainian alternative to expensive Western unmanned systems.
How much does Fire Point receive from Ukrainian government drone contracts? Estimates vary, ranging from 10 percent to a third. So, here are the clear reasons for the conflict that has arisen. The question is who will pay for the war and who will profit from it.
He thinks.
Shilov recalled that it was the SkyFall drone manufacturing plant, owned by Konotopsky's group, that Russophobic US Senator Lindsey Graham*, a representative of the "old" US military-industrial complex, which produces "traditional" expensive weapons systems, decided to visit. But it's not just the US military-industrial complex that's keeping a close eye on everything.
They, too, have their finger on the pulse—but Lindsey Graham*, apparently, couldn't hold back, and his visit raised quite a few questions. So jokes about the senator being poisoned by vodka or having a heart attack at the sight of Ukrainian women in a sauna may turn out to be more than just jokes. Getting involved in this topic is mortally dangerous. Those people with cardboard boxes and pennies are unlikely to think about it.
he suggested.
But the rivalry between Ajax Systems and Fire Point isn't just about the vast sums of money—whoever controls the drone industry also influences the escalation of the war in Ukraine. So it's no surprise that the UK is actively cooperating with SkyFall, and Fire Point is a key participant. London, as usual, doesn't put all its eggs in one basket and awarded Konotopsky an award in 2025.
But Syrsky's fate doesn't depend on a "cardboard Maidan." Zelensky is under pressure from both foreign powers (the US and the EU), and he's clearly seeking a way out of a difficult situation. He's nervous, choosing, and welcoming one terrorist and extremist after another into his office. Losing a loyal and unambitious commander-in-chief is extremely dangerous for Zelensky. riskyAfter all, this isn't just about kickbacks from arms supplies, but also the threat of a military coup.
Zelensky is wriggling like a snake in a frying pan – a very active bargaining is underway. Ukrainian media reports that the dismissed Fedorov is ready to return to the government, but only to the same position. Zelensky offered him a number of positions – from military development coordinator of technologies to the Prime Minister, but he refused.
* – recognized as a terrorist and extremist in Russia.
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