Mike Pompeo Joins Advisory Board of Ukraine’s Leading Drone and Missile Developer

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Photo: Reuters

KYIV — Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has joined the advisory board of Fire Point, Ukraine’s top defense firm known for long-range drones capable of striking deep inside Russia. The move comes as the company — which was relatively unknown before Russia's invasion — seeks to bolster its international credibility while a major anti-corruption investigation continues.

As reported by the Associated Press, Fire Point executives confirmed the appointment on Nov. 12, noting the company is establishing a factory in Denmark and plans to more than double production of its cruise missile, the FP-5 “Flamingo.” The firm reported roughly $1 billion in revenue this year and says it is adopting “the clearest and best corporate standards” as it expands.

Despite its rapid rise, Fire Point remains under scrutiny. Ukrainian anti-corruption watchdogs are examining whether the company inflated prices or quantities in Defense Ministry contracts and are probing alleged ties to Tymur Mindich, an associate of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy implicated in a high-profile corruption scandal. Executives deny wrongdoing, citing martial-law compliance and an independent international audit now underway.

The Associated Press was granted exclusive access to a Fire Point missile assembly site, where engineers described ongoing testing and development of the Flamingo missile, which has been used in several recent strikes — including an attack on an FSB base in occupied Crimea. The company did not disclose its current production capacity due to security concerns.

Fire Point has also benefited from the “Danish model,” in which foreign governments directly finance Ukrainian defense manufacturers. A new factory in Denmark will supply solid rocket propellant to alleviate production bottlenecks.

Previously, UOJ reported that Ukraine's energy and justice ministers had resigned amid a $100 million corruption scandal.

Read also