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The UK and Ukraine have joined forces to give British researchers and technology companies access to Ukraine’s Avengers AI Labs, a platform containing battlefield data used to train AI models.
The agreement, signed in Kyiv by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, aims to accelerate the development of AI technologies for defence and national security while supporting longer-term civilian applications.
Under the deal, the UK will become the first international partner to access Avengers AI Labs.
The platform uses data collected by thousands of daylight cameras and infrared sensors across the battlefield in Ukraine, capturing millions of images of tanks, artillery systems, infantry, drones, and other military assets to train AI models.
The two countries plan to combine Ukraine’s operational experience and datasets with the UK’s AI sector, universities and technology companies to develop new military capabilities and address shared security challenges.
The partnership forms part of the UK and Ukraine’s 100 Year Partnership and will initially focus on defence applications before exploring wider areas of collaboration.
The UK government said the agreement could also support the development of technologies for civilian sectors, including air traffic control and transport systems.
Several pilot projects are already under way involving three UK start-ups: Bristol-based Sintela, Oxford’s Mind Foundry, and London’s Skyral.
One project uses Ukrainian battlefield data alongside UK technology to turn buried fibre-optic cables into AI-enabled sensors capable of detecting activity around defence sites. The government said the technology could eventually help protect airports, prisons, railways, and energy infrastructure.
A second project will explore the development of low-power AI chips designed for drones, robotics, and autonomous systems. If successful, the chips could enable intelligent machines to operate for longer periods while responding more quickly in challenging environments.
Prime minister Andy Burnham said: “Ukraine has become one of the world’s leading innovators in defence technology, forged through courage, ingenuity and the hard lessons of war.
“This groundbreaking partnership will bring together Ukraine’s unrivalled operational experience with Britain’s world-class AI ecosystem, giving us the opportunity to develop the technologies of the future.”
