PRESS RELEASE - APRIL 22, 2026
| BRUSSELS - LA ROCHELLE - KYIV, APRIL 22, 2026
In Ukraine, ground robotics is already a daily operational reality, both for civil security and defense.
On the occasion of the EU-Ukraine Business Forum, French security and defense start-up SHARK ROBOTICS and Ukrainian ground/UGV robot leader TENCORE announce the signing of a memorandum of understanding marking a major step forward in industrial cooperation between France and Ukraine in the security and defense fields.
This partnership combines the expertise of the world leader in firefighting robots with that of one of Ukraine's leading players in defense robotics.
This memorandum is the first case of complementary joint ventures being considered simultaneously in France and Ukraine in the security and defense sector. It illustrates a new industrial cooperation, articulating approaches Build with Ukraine (industrial support from another country) and Build in Ukraine, with the support of the European Union.
From field to industrialization
For the first time, a French and a Ukrainian company are joining forces to capture feedback from the battlefield in Ukraine and feed it directly back into production and innovation.
Tencore's technologies are tried and tested on several thousand “Termit” military robots” deployed on the front line; Shark Robotics, world leader in fire safety ground robots, contributes its expertise in extreme environments with the “Colossus” robot, already used by emergency services and industrial operators. in over 25 countries.
This partnership follows on from the initial exchanges initiated at the meeting on anti-drone resilience held at the Élysée Palace on November 18, 2025, attended by Presidents Macron and Zelensky. It is supported by the European Commission, and is part of European efforts to strengthen industrial defense capabilities.
Franco-Ukrainian cooperation guarantees responsiveness and industrial capacity
The partnership is based on the creation of two joint ventures:
- In France The development and production of defense robots based on feedback from the Ukrainian field, notably for logistics and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC). These systems are designed to meet the needs of the French armed forces, and can be supplied to Ukrainian forces on request.
- In Ukraine SESU: the establishment of a local industrial and services platform, mainly dedicated to civil security robotics, including maintenance (MRO), training and progressive production of certain components, in order to structure a more European supply chain and support SESU operations over the long term.
This organization is designed to guarantee both operational responsiveness and industrial capacity. It is in line with the letter of intent signed on February 9, 2026 by the French and Ukrainian defense ministers, and the security cooperation agreement signed between France and Ukraine on February 16, 2024.
Security, resilience and defense
The systems developed and maintained under this partnership cover the entire spectrum of ground robotics missions:
- Defense logistics in high-risk areas; casualty evacuation (CASEVAC/MEDEVAC); transport of equipment and payloads; combat support; engineering support, particularly for mine clearance missions.
- Civil security and resilience These include responding to fires after strikes, protecting rescue personnel, securing critical infrastructures (energy, transport, industrial sites) and protecting civilian populations.
These uses, now critical in Ukraine, are becoming increasingly relevant in other regions exposed to similar threats, notably in the Middle East.
Cyrille Kabbara
CEO Shark Robotics
«As in Ukraine, Europe must prepare for conflicts where robots will make the difference. This partnership aims to produce the capabilities we'll need tomorrow. It's about moving fast, scaling up and giving Ukrainian and European forces the means to act on the ground.»
Maksym Vasylchenko
CEO Tencore
«In Ukraine, we innovate under constraint, in real-life conditions. With Shark Robotics, we bring together defense robotics from the battlefield and robotics for civil security and resilience. This complementarity is the strength of our partnership.»
About Shark Robotics
Founded at the end of 2016 in La Rochelle, Shark Robotics is a French scale-up specializing in terrestrial robotics. It notably developed the “Colossus” firefighting robot, deployed at the Notre-Dame fire in 2019. Forty Colossus robots were supplied to Ukraine by France in 2025; further deployments are in the pipeline.
In the field of defense, Shark Robotics designed the “Barakuda” multi-mission robot in 2018, which was presented at the July 14, 2019 parade and is now used in innovation programs run by the French Ministry of the Armed Forces (“Pendragon” program).
The company designs and assembles all its solutions at its La Rochelle plant.
About Tencore
Tencore, a Ukrainian scale-up founded in 2024, is a major player in military robotics. Its “Termit” robot - a modular electric platform weighing around 600 kg and capable of carrying up to 400 kg of payload - is deployed in several thousand units on the Ukrainian front.
Its uses include logistics, medical evacuation, engineering and fire support. Tencore combines rapid iterations from the field, modular design and production at scale, enabling rapid adaptation to operational needs.
Press contacts
Shark Robotics
Mégane Fabre
megane.fabre@shark-robotics.fr
+33 6 85 55 68 02
Tencore
Yulia Zborovska
info@tencore.com.ua
+380 63 588 9635
