Ukrainian Miltech Hunts for Employees Among IT Sector

As conventional IT companies experience a slight downturn because of the ongoing war with Russia, Ukrainian professionals are increasingly moving to Ukraine’s defense technology sector, Oleksandr Yakovenko, founder of drone producer and developer TAF Industries, told Ukrainian tech outlet DOU.

“We are starting to invest in training professionals in fundamental areas,” Yakovenko said. “This is part of our long-term strategy: regardless of how active the hostilities are, Ukraine will remain in a risk zone as long as Russia exists.”

TAF Industries is considering a joint project with Ukraine’s National Aviation University (NAU) to evaluate and attract students, Yakovenko said. NAU is one of the country’s leading universities specializing in aerospace engineering, aviation, and related technical sciences.

In 2024, the Ukrainian IT industry lost 2,000 professionals, which is 8,000 fewer than it did in 2023, when 10,000 employees left, according to DOU research.

Ukrainian IT specialists’ emigration plans have remained largely unchanged over the past year, August 2025 DOU research showed. Nearly half (48%) think about moving abroad to some extent, while 14% actively plan to leave once borders are opened to men. Another 48% say they have no plans to emigrate.

According to the research, men consider relocating more often than women, while younger specialists under 25 are the most eager to consider living abroad. 

Other Topics of Interest

Zelensky Proposes G7 Meeting With Putin to End War

Zelensky on Monday proposed a face-to-face meeting with Putin during the G7 summit in France. Zelensky said the US and Europe supported the initiative, though Moscow remains quiet on the proposal.

TAF Industries, formerly TAF Drones, has grown from an original 20-strong workforce to 1,000 in 18 months – around 100 of which are IT specialists, with 150 job openings still unfilled. The company produces up to 80,000 drones every month and ranks among the world’s top three drone manufacturers.

TAF is looking above all for designers, developers, product owners, functional project managers, and analysts with a strong technical background. Yakovenko says that since the start of the full-scale invasion constructors are particularly difficult to find.

TAF recruited engineers from the automotive sector, many of whom worked on autonomous vehicle technology. Others joined with no background in the drone industry, learning the necessary skills inside the company.

Competition for professionals is high. Competitors try to lure TAF employees, sometimes offering $10,000-15,000 monthly salaries against the normal monthly rate of $3,000-4,000, Yakovenko said.

“Then the company cannot sustain such expenses and lets the employee go. As a result, a financial bubble forms”, the TAF founder says. 

“Some employees understand this and willingly accept these conditions, knowing they will be laid off in a few months. Others believe the high pay will continue for a long time. I always emphasize it is each person’s own choice.”

Despite the ongoing war, eight Ukrainian IT companies opened new offices in the second half of 2024 – mainly in Europe, but also in India and Argentina. Meanwhile, no company opened an office in Ukraine in 2024, the DOU report showed.