The Ukrainian Defense Ministry held talks with a Swedish delegation on developing cooperation in space technologies for defense purposes.
According to the ministry, the Ukrainian side presented key achievements in digital transformation, which include the implementation and advancement of space policy and strategy within the defense sector.
The discussion highlighted the establishment of the Defense Ministry’s Space Policy Directorate in March 2025 as a significant step forward. Ukrainian representatives also outlined the Defense Forces’ primary needs in the space domain that could be addressed in partnership with international allies.
“We have a strong legacy in the space sector, which we are now modernizing and relaunching to meet today’s needs,” said Major Oleksandr Havrutenko, Head of the Defense Space Policy Directorate. “We are also engaging international partners with more experience and capabilities in military space. We’re ready to share our own insights gained during active combat operations.”
Havrutenko noted that Ukraine’s focus in military space will be on processing large volumes of data, often received from partners, rather than on scaling up domestic space hardware.
Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Transformation Kateryna Chernohorenko said: “Space is a vital domain for our Defense Forces. Satellites provide stable communications for the military, our own capabilities for intelligence gathering, and the ability to save lives through early threat detection. This is why space is a priority area for the Ministry of Defense.”
Brigadier General Lars Helmrich, head of the Swedish delegation and director of the Air and Space Systems Division at the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, in turn, said that from his own experience, he could say that the space sector is evolving very rapidly. That is why it is important to remain flexible and adaptable — even when it comes to strategy, he added.
He stressed that Sweden is interested in cooperating with Ukraine on developing space technologies, particularly by leveraging Ukraine’s wartime experience. Sweden is also willing to support engagement with other international partners, including the Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Iceland.
The Ukrainian delegation expressed gratitude to the government and people of Sweden for their comprehensive support and willingness to collaborate in the military space domain.
Photo credit: Ukrainian Defense Ministry
Source: Ukraine, Sweden discuss cooperation in military space sector
