# Valerii Borovyk

Founder and CEO, First Contact. TIME100 AI 2026, Leaders. He founded First Contact, maker of the Osa drones likely used in Operation Spiderweb, and says such strikes need sophisticated drones, not cheap $500 FPVs. ([global.espreso.tv](https://global.espreso.tv/sophisticated-drones-not-cheap-fpvs-behind-ukraines-strikes-on-russian-bombers-drone-manufacturer))

- Career: Ukrainian military (Commander, 2022–2024); First Contact (Founder and CEO, from 2014); Alliance New Energy of Ukraine (Chairman of the Board) ([firstcontact.biz](https://firstcontact.biz/), [uatv.ua](https://uatv.ua/en/how-ukraine-s-drone-revolution-shatters-kremlin-plans-interview-with-valeriy-borovyk/), [itarena.ua](https://itarena.ua/speaker/valeriy-borovyk/), [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerii-borovyk-92584847))
- TIME profile: https://time.com/collection/time100-ai/2026/valerii-borovyk/
- Profile: https://www.autumn.ai/resources/most-influential-people-in-ai/valerii-borovyk

- Worked in senior oil and gas roles and won the UAE's Masdar prize in alternative energy before turning to drones. ([itarena.ua](https://itarena.ua/speaker/valeriy-borovyk/))
- Says his team released Ukraine's first kamikaze drone, the Yatagan, in 2015 and put it forward for military procurement. ([uatv.ua](https://uatv.ua/en/how-ukraine-s-drone-revolution-shatters-kremlin-plans-interview-with-valeriy-borovyk/))
- When Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022 he was serving in a National Guard special forces company, and went on to command a strike drone unit. ([uatv.ua](https://uatv.ua/en/how-ukraine-s-drone-revolution-shatters-kremlin-plans-interview-with-valeriy-borovyk/))
- Says preparation for Operation Spiderweb began 18 months ahead, first for a strike in Moscow, with pilots trained to fly out of narrow windows. ([english.nv.ua](https://english.nv.ua/nation/cobweb-drone-maker-reveals-how-ukraine-s-strike-operation-evolved-from-moscow-plan-50613310.html))
- Says his company prepared 150 drones for Spiderweb and believes 117 hit their targets; Ukraine's security service put the damage at $7 billion. ([english.nv.ua](https://english.nv.ua/nation/cobweb-drone-maker-reveals-how-ukraine-s-strike-operation-evolved-from-moscow-plan-50613310.html))
- Described a drone steered over enemy SIM cards as a flying cellphone with propellers and a warhead. ([english.nv.ua](https://english.nv.ua/nation/cobweb-drone-maker-reveals-how-ukraine-s-strike-operation-evolved-from-moscow-plan-50613310.html))