Iryna Terekh leads Fire Point in scaling Ukrainian drone production

Iryna Terekh, a former furniture designer and architect, has risen to become the CEO and CTO of Fire Point, one of Ukraine’s largest private defense companies. Following the Russian invasion, Terekh transitioned from manufacturing outdoor furniture to leading a company that now employs approximately 7,000 people.

Terekh played a critical role in scaling the production of the FP-1 long-range drone, which is central to Ukraine’s strikes against Russian oil refineries and energy infrastructure. By applying her background in materials and molds to drone manufacturing, she successfully reduced the wing production time from six days to just two and a half hours. This manufacturing breakthrough allowed the company to move from prototypes to mass serial production.

Fire Point’s technology includes air defense systems, long-range drones, and the ‘Flamingo’ cruise missile, which features a warhead weight of approximately 1,130 kg. The company claims its drones are responsible for roughly 60 percent of Ukraine’s long-range strikes into Russian territory.