KYIV — The 34-year-old executive leads one of Ukraine's largest drone makers. Her background includes training as an architect in Irpin, Ukraine, where she previously developed a high-performance concrete company and built patios and outdoor furniture. Russian forces occupied Irpin in the early months of 2022, destroying roughly 70% of the city.

Iryna Terekh and Denys Shtilerman co-founded Fire Point to build long-range attack drones after escaping Russian occupation. Shtilerman had a background in defense engineering prior to co-founding the company. Film producer Yehor Skalyha is also a co-founder of Fire Point. The company initially aimed to produce 20 FP-1 drones per month.

A Ukrainian drone attack caused a Wildberries warehouse to burn in Koledino, Moscow Region, on August 16, 2026. Terekh stated that Ukraine launched twice as many deep strikes into Russia as Russia launched into Ukraine in 2026. She also stated that 60% of Ukrainian deep strikes into Russia in 2026 used Fire Point weapons.

The U.S. and Ukrainian governments are expected to sign a new defense agreement to expand Ukrainian military technology exports to the U.S. and joint ventures with American companies. Terekh stated that Ukraine has low bureaucracy, direct communication with the army, and companies that react quickly. She added that the defense industry is a huge driver for offering more valuable exports, and Ukraine needs to stop being just a breadbasket for the world.

Why It Matters

The development of the FP-7 represents a shift in Ukraine's defense capabilities toward domestically produced long-range strike systems. With Fire Point weapons accounting for a majority of deep strikes in 2026, the codification of a ballistic missile expands the technical scope of these operations beyond cruise missiles. The expected deployment timeline aligns with broader efforts to integrate Ukrainian military technology into international markets, including potential joint ventures with American companies.

Timeline

By 2024, Fire Point drones were regularly used to strike Russian airfields, ammunition depots, and oil refineries.

She claimed the June 2026 Fire Point cruise missile strike was the longest-range strike ever carried out by a cruise missile in combat history. In June 2026, a Fire Point cruise missile completed a mission of over 1,000 miles.

What's New

Iryna Terekh, the CEO of Fire Point, announced that the FP-7 ballistic missile, developed by the Ukrainian defense company, is undergoing codification by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and is expected to be ready for combat deployment in early autumn 2026. This was stated during an interview with Reuters. Iryna Terekh, the CEO of Fire Point, stated that the FP-7 missile is currently undergoing codification by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense and expects the first combat use of the FP-7 to begin in early autumn 2026.

She also mentioned that the FP-9 missile would be deployed by late autumn 2026. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is responsible for the codification of the FP-7 missile, and the process is expected to take another two to four weeks, according to Iryna Terekh, the CEO of Fire Point. Iryna Terekh is Ukrainian business executive and architect.