Denmark denies 'put on ice' claims made by Fire Point majority owner
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The construction of a Fire Point rocket fuel factory in Denmark has not been put on hold, the Danish government has confirmed to the Kyiv Independent, despite claims made by the Ukrainian company's co-owner and chief designer.
In an interview with the Financial Times published May 14, Denys Shtilierman said the contract to construct the plant had been "put on ice," claiming ongoing controversy around the company was delaying its work to build weapons for Ukraine.
"The Danish authorities have not put the work on hold, neither at present nor in the past," a spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs told the Kyiv Independent.
"The cooperation to establish production in Denmark by Fire Point's Danish subsidiary is ongoing. The Danish authorities maintain ongoing contact with the Ukrainian authorities to keep the matter under close observation."
Fire Point has come under intense scrutiny as the company has found itself part of the so-called "Mindich-gate" corruption scandal, which has seen key allies of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky facing criminal charges.
Recently revealed tapes allegedly recorded as part of the investigation appear to confirm links between Timur Mindich, a close business associate of Zelensky, and Fire Point. Last year, the Kyiv Independent was the first to report that Mindich was alleged to be the company's unofficial beneficiary.
The company has denied its connection to Mindich.
In interviews with Ukrainian media, Shtilierman said that Mindich, a Ukrainian-Israeli entrepreneur, had sought to acquire a 50% stake in the company. However, the content of the tapes made public by Ukrainska Pravda in late April suggests that Mindich was talking about Fire Point as his company.
Mindich fled Ukraine before NABU, Ukraine's anti-corruption agency, mounted a raid on his home on Nov. 10.
On May 20, Shtilierman posted a letter from NABU on X which stated that "in the criminal proceedings being investigated by detectives of the National Bureau, the managers and founders of Fire Point LLC have not been notified of suspicion, and no indictment has been drawn up. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing."
Fire Point did not respond to a request for comment.
Despite the ongoing investigations, and the questions surrounding the company's ownership, Fire Point has become an important part of Ukraine's defense industry.
It produces an array of highly effective drones including the long-range FP-1, which has become a mainstay of Ukrainian strikes deep into Russia, as well as the shorter ranged but cheaper FP-2, which is a key weapon in Ukraine's increasingly successful middle strike campaign.
The company is also developing the "Flamingo" cruise missile, which has reached initial operating capability, the FP-7 and FP-9 ballistic missiles, and the Freya anti-ballistic missile air defense system.
