STARK Accelerates European Expansion with R&D Hub in Ukraine and Office in Greece
- STARK is opening an R&D hub in Ukraine, highlighting its commitment to sustained local defence-tech expertise and innovation
- STARK opens a new office in Greece, establishing itself as a pan-European defence manufacturer with operations spanning the continent
Berlin, 13 February, 2026
STARK today announces it opens an R&D hub in Ukraine and a regional office in southern Europe, as the Munich Security Conference gets underway. The expansion significantly strengthens STARK’s industrial presence across Europe and marks a decisive shift to sustained defence across the continent.
STARK is Europe’s fastest-growing defence technology company, and has seen significant demand for its one-way-effectors and unmanned maritime systems.
The new Ukrainian facility will include a 2,000 square metre site, designed to support over 200 specialists. The site will focus on R&D, integration, training and support and allow systems to move more quickly from design into production.
STARK has worked with Ukrainian experts on the ground since its inception and views its new R&D hub as a key accelerator for local defence innovation. The company will also establish a local production site which will enable the use of local supply chains in future products. Establishing production close to the frontline will further enhance STARK’s ability to update systems quickly as battlefield conditions and countermeasures evolve.
STARK CEO Uwe Horstmann said:
“STARK is becoming a key pillar and partner in the defence of Europe, with local defence tech R&D and production across the continent. By leveraging innovation from the frontline and across Europe, we are helping ensure that proven unmanned systems can be produced at speed and kept relevant as operational needs evolve.”
Maksym Cherkis, COO of STARK Ukraine:
“Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has fundamentally changed Europe’s security landscape. Deterrence depends on defence innovation as well as sustained production.”
Growing geopolitical instability and events in Ukraine have increased pressure on Europe’s defence industrial base. The past two years have shown that modern warfare is not just about having advanced technology, but about whether systems can be produced at scale, adapted quickly, and replaced continuously during a high-intensity conflict.
The opening of the Ukrainian R&D hub, the establishment of a new office in Greece, and recent expansions in the UK and Sweden reflect STARK’s mission to deliver the systems Europe and NATO need now.
