According to an article in The Atlantic, entrepreneur Denis Ştilerman founded Fire Point, the main supplier of long-range drones that the Ukrainian military uses in strikes on Russian territory. Notably, Ştilerman previously worked for the Russian Defense Ministry. He now argues that Europe must build a defense system independent of the United States.
Education in Moscow and Career at the Defense Ministry
Ukrainian-born Denis Ştilerman entered the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) in 1991 and graduated with a red diploma in theoretical physics. After graduation, Ştilerman remained in Moscow and turned to business rather than science, engaging in software development, computer games, land and real estate investments.
In the 2000s, Ştilerman collaborated with the Russian Defense Ministry and worked for a time at a defense research institute in Moscow. That institute had played a role in developing the equipment known as Vladimir Putin's 'nuclear briefcase'. In an interview with Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Gordon, Ştilerman said he developed the concept of automated command and control systems (ASUV) for the Russian Defense Ministry, but the system was never implemented: 'Thank God they still haven't implemented it. Otherwise, everything would have unfolded very differently.'
After the 2008 Russia-Georgia war, Ştilerman cut ties with the Russian Defense Ministry but continued to live and do business in Russia. Having moved from Ukraine to Russia in 1991, he held citizenship of both countries. His Russian passport was issued under the surname Danilov, which he adopted to conceal his father's Jewish background. Ştilerman was stripped of his Russian citizenship in 2016, citing support for Euromaidan, a request from his former wife, and FSB pressure.
Arrest in Russia and Return to Ukraine
In an interview with The Atlantic, Ştilerman recounted that he was first arrested in Russia in the late 1990s. He had invested in shares of a Russian oil company, but when a 'rival oligarch' tried to steal those shares, he resisted and spent two years in Butyrka prison. In 2018, he was detained for six months as part of a criminal case over the purchase of land from a bankrupt chicken farm. Ştilerman claims that the FSB demanded a $23 million bribe from him, and when he refused, he was sent to prison. The case was later closed without charges.
After being released in 2019, Ştilerman returned to Ukraine, dropped the surname Danilov, and together with architect Irina Terekh, began a project to improve public spaces in Kyiv. In 2022, he founded the Fire Point weapons company with Terekh and a school friend, Yegor Skalyga. Ştilerman says he invested several million dollars earned from real estate deals in Russia into the company.
Fire Point's Rapid Rise and Product Line
Fire Point produced its first long-range drone in late 2022, began selling to the Ukrainian army in 2023, and earned billions of hryvnias from state contracts in 2024. According to The Atlantic, Fire Point is now the main supplier of long-range drones used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in strikes deep into Russia. In June 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly thanked Fire Point engineers for drones 'capable of reaching targets 3,000 kilometers away.'
In addition to the company's flagship FP-1 drone, the 'Flamingo' cruise missile, introduced in summer 2025, is also notable. Inspired by the Soviet 'Strizh' reconnaissance UAV and powered by jet engines, production of this missile has not yet reached planned levels; despite a target of seven per day, currently less than half are produced. Ştilerman's main hope, however, is the FP-7 X interceptor missile, developed for the Freya air defense system. This system is positioned as a low-cost alternative to the American Patriot and is intended to form the basis of a joint European air defense 'shield'.
Timur Mindich Connection and Controversies
Fire Point's success has been overshadowed by its connection to Timur Mindich, a former associate of Zelenskyy. The 'Mindichgate' corruption scandal that erupted in 2025, prompting Mindich to flee the country, also put Ştilerman in the spotlight. According to leaked recordings published in the Ukrainian press, Mindich asked then-Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to expedite state payments to Fire Point. This raised suspicions that Mindich held a hidden stake in the company.
Ştilerman explained that Mindich became interested in the company in 2024 and offered $100 million for a 50% stake in Fire Point, but the deal fell through when Edge Group, based in the United Arab Emirates, outbid him with an offer exceeding $700 million for a one-third share. Nevertheless, he noted that Mindich provided great assistance to the company by granting access to Soviet-era missile technology blueprints. Ştilerman said, 'I can't say anything bad about Mindich. He loves his mother, he is very charismatic. He helped us as much as he could without expecting anything in return.'
Call for Europe to Build a Defense Independent of the US
Against the backdrop of ongoing disputes between Europe and the US since Donald Trump's return to the White House, Ştilerman called on the European Union to distance itself from the US and build its own defense system based on Ukraine's experience. 'Right now, by acting together, we have a chance to win independence from America and burn down the Russian Empire. We will not miss this opportunity because of all the nonsense said about me,' Ştilerman said, viewing himself and his company as indispensable for both Ukraine and Europe.
