With her long hair tied in a ponytail, a white shirt, beige jacket, and wide-leg jeans, she stands out in an industry predominantly led by men in suits.

Leaving the exhibition halls at last week's Farnborough International Airshow in the UK, she spoke with AFP in London's central Mayfair district about Fire Point's future goals.

Iryna Terekh, CEO of Ukrainian drone and missile manufacturer Fire Point, in London on 22/7. Photo: AFP

A month prior, Fire Point garnered attention at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in France by continuously showcasing videos of Ukrainian drone strikes that caused a refinery near Russia's capital, Moskva, to burn fiercely.

"The next step must be even more outstanding", Terekh stated, adding that she wants Fire Point's next public appearance to make a significant impact.

For months, Terekh has consistently defended Fire Point against corruption allegations and other accusations, such as receiving preferential state contracts due to the company's rapid growth.

Terekh noted that from 2022 to 2024, the Ukrainian government actively sought manufacturers capable of supplying weapons. She affirmed the company's readiness for audits and its commitment to transparency.

Fire Point's Flamingo missile at an exhibition in France last month. Photo: AFP

Designed on a napkin

Terekh grew up in Kharkov, eastern Ukraine. From her childhood home in Saltivkam, one of the areas most severely damaged by Moskva's shelling during the conflict, one can see the entire Russian city of Belgorod.

She has lived in Kiev for a long time and mentioned having children, but declined to provide further information "for safety reasons". Although trained in architecture, she never practiced, instead moving on to manage several construction companies.

When Russia launched its operation in Ukraine in 2022, her friend Denys Shtilerman, a founding member of Fire Point, invited Terekh to help establish the company.

According to Terekh, the initial ideas for Ukraine's FP-1 long-range drone were sketched on napkins at their favorite restaurant in late 2022.

A prototype was assembled in a garage in early 2023, and just three weeks later, they produced 7 more units. "We only slept three hours each night and worked in shifts", she recalled.

In response to those who mocked the project as amateur or improvised, Terekh asserted her "pride" in its origins. "The Ukrainian army now relies heavily on volunteers", she said, adding that Fire Point's products must therefore be "simple, easy to understand, and easy to mass produce".

"If you are the best person in the room, leave and find another place that makes you feel like an apprentice", Terekh added.

Thousands of drones

Western defense experts and industry representatives regard Fire Point as a key contributor to Ukraine's long-range strikes against Russia.

Ukrainian soldiers deploy an FPV drone during training in Zaporizhzhia province in November 2024. Photo: Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade

Terekh declined to disclose the company's revenue but stated that production capacity has reached thousands of drones per month. She noted that previously announced output figures, such as 3,000 drones and 30 Flamingo missiles monthly, have significantly increased.

She acknowledged that the allegations and suspicions targeting Fire Point have caused at least one clear impact: several foreign partnership projects faced delays of several months due to additional vetting processes.

"These processes are still not complete", Terekh said.

Her current aspiration is to help build a large-scale ballistic missile defense coalition, "something unprecedented in the world", where Fire Point expects to play a pivotal role.