Why an ex-Google CEO is deep in Ukraine’s battlefield strategy

Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, has become a significant partner for Ukraine amid its war with Russia. His tech firm Swift Beat now supplies AI-powered drones that Ukrainian forces say are successfully downing nearly 90 percent of incoming Russian Shahed drones. As Western firms like Starlink and Maxar pulled back support, Schmidt signed a co-production deal with Kyiv to mass-produce drones. While some welcome his support, others warn of growing foreign influence and commercial interests on the battlefield.