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Вікторія ГорбікWeapon
7 April 2025, 09:00
2025-04-07
“We can simulate war in its entirety.” The founder of Logics7, which has developed over 50 types of simulators for various weapons, on staying afloat and even growing during war
Over the past three years since the start of the full-scale invasion, hundreds of new weapons have appeared in Ukraine, both provided by foreign partners and developed by Ukrainian inventors. In a case where a single shot from a certain weapon can cost as much as $30,000, and training a single soldier can cost up to $20,000, the ability to train using virtual simulators with dummies that mimic real weapons helps in this process.
Logics7 is the company that develops such simulators. Almost on the verge of closure, with the beginning of a full-scale invasion, the company directed all its efforts to help our defenders, and in just one year, the second year of a full-scale war, the company’s revenues increased tenfold. The company’s founder, Igor Belov, told dev.ua how it was possible to achieve such results, what the company offers defenders today, and how Logics7's large-scale plans can help translate real war into the virtual world.
Over the past three years since the start of the full-scale invasion, hundreds of new weapons have appeared in Ukraine, both provided by foreign partners and developed by Ukrainian inventors. In a case where a single shot from a certain weapon can cost as much as $30,000, and training a single soldier can cost up to $20,000, the ability to train using virtual simulators with dummies that mimic real weapons helps in this process.
Logics7 is the company that develops such simulators. Almost on the verge of closure, with the beginning of a full-scale invasion, the company directed all its efforts to help our defenders, and in just one year, the second year of a full-scale war, the company’s revenues increased tenfold. The company’s founder, Igor Belov, told dev.ua how it was possible to achieve such results, what the company offers defenders today, and how Logics7's large-scale plans can help translate real war into the virtual world.
Background to the merger
Igor Belov, founder of Logics7, recalls that he first thought about starting his own business while still at school. And for as long as he can remember, he has been involved in various types of entrepreneurship.
Igor Belov, founder of Logics7 (Photo from personal archive)
The history of Logics7 began in 2012, when Dmitry Suponev, who later became Belov’s partner, founded a product and outsourcing company. In 2018, Igor Belov himself joined him with his own company, which developed engineering projects in lighting. It was in this company that the hardware team was born, which migrated to the PSS by Logics7 company and built everything related to the hardware in the existing product.
Full-scale — like a new breath
The updated team received its first order in 2019. And then the company made tank simulators.
«However, the military sphere is difficult to enter, since there is a clear identification based on the principle of «friends and foes,» recalls Igor Belov.
That’s why, according to the founder of Logics7, the company spent the next three years trying to prove that it could be trusted, but it didn’t have any orders. And on February 23, 2022, they decided to close this project, and the next day a full-scale war began.
Logics7 simulator (Photo provided by the press service)
Then Igor realized that he wanted to build a specific platform on which the entire army would train in virtual space. Work began immediately. To individual clusters of the tank simulator, which already had about 100 sq. km of virtual training grounds with various types of terrain, the developers added individual elements of the infantry simulator.
Then the founder of Logics7 and his team took an updated simulator, which had only three types of weapons (a pistol, a machine gun, and a basic RPG grenade launcher) and began traveling around the units, helping the fighters train, because there was not enough ammunition.
«It was purely volunteer work. We wanted to do something and we didn’t think about money or business at all,» says Igor Belov.
Since then, the team began to receive requests from the military for various types of simulators, because the military did not know how to use some weapons and were Googling instructions on how they worked right in the trenches. And the demonstration of training on the company’s simulators launched the immersive process for the military and increased their motivation to master various types of weapons. And it pushed the development team to create new programs.
«When the full-scale war began, it was a new breath of fresh air for this company,» says the founder.
Wide palette
To date, the company has already produced simulators for more than 50 types of weapons. Each of them is in fact a replica of a real weapon or a module that consists not only of software, but also of hardware. This allows soldiers not only to learn all the controls, but also to develop muscle memory during training. The software part also simulates different weather conditions and sets certain scenarios of combat operations that can already be practiced. In addition, all systems can be combined into one digital space, which makes it possible to simultaneously train both line soldiers and management of various structural groups and practice certain strategic scenarios.
«We understand that modern warfare is a war of unmanned systems, drones, etc., controlled by operators. These operators need to be trained,» emphasizes Igor Belov.
Logics7 simulator (Photo provided by the press service)
The company has built a simulator for training in the destruction of Shaheds with all types of machine guns used for this task. In a virtual environment, fighters train to shoot down drones day and night, first with the target illuminated, then without it, developing an understanding of the lead that needs to be made for a shot. The founder adds that today’s high-tech allows for the most immersive simulation of any situation and any characteristics, down to the force with which certain joystick levers need to be pressed.
The company has built its own simulators from scratch, is constantly improving the technology, and is currently in its third iteration of the software. In addition, the developers have begun working on the Unreal Engine to have more opportunities for growth.
On the way to the military
Logics7 simulators are now codified by the Ministry of Defense and have all the necessary documents to be supplied to the Defense Forces according to Ukrainian and NATO standards. The company emphasizes the importance of training, which ultimately helps save lives, use ammunition more efficiently, and perform combat missions.
«Sometimes people mistakenly believe that you can easily destroy an enemy with a cannon, but you can’t do it with simulators,» notes Igor Belov, emphasizing the paramount importance of training.
Logics7 simulator (Photo provided by the press service)
Currently, Logics7 provides a free opportunity to train defenders. In particular, military personnel come to the company’s showroom with their combat instructors and train. In addition, the Logics7 team also travels to training centers, military units, temporary brigade locations, and frontline areas where military personnel have the opportunity to train.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the company has trained about 70,000 people directly. The company has received government orders for its simulators for the military. In addition, sometimes the purchase of simulators is carried out through charitable foundations or through financing from private businesses and goes directly to military units, which are now able to buy everything they need themselves.
Pace, pace
Over the past three years, hundreds of new weapons have appeared in Ukraine. Given the large number of various means of military action that foreign partners provide to Ukraine, as well as those that are manufactured by Ukrainian engineers, Logics7 has to mobilize all its efforts to quickly add new types of weapons. According to the founder, they format their work precisely for these needs.
«When we add all types and branches of troops, we can simulate the war as a whole,» says Igor Belov.
The engine on which the system is built is capable of simulating any weather conditions, ballistics, and calculations.
About the team
According to its founder, the company has a fairly strong team of women in top and key positions, while only men work in technical departments. Igor Belov explains this by saying that production requires certain power functions.
«Almost everyone we started with works with us now,» he interjects.
A separate department in the company is engaged in the production of metalworking. In addition, Logics7 has its own 3D printing production. These departments are also engaged in the production of orders for the foreign market, which, as the founder of the company emphasizes, makes it possible to diversify the business.
Training at Logics7 (Photo provided by the press service)
Administrative staff also make up a significant part of the team. Igor Belov explains that working with the budget and military issues involves a significant amount of paperwork, including the «Diya.City» residency.
New employees undergo a thorough selection process, as the company founder says they must be meticulous about security issues. The company periodically looks for engineers and IT specialists, mostly for teams that produce third-party products.
The company has critical status, can reserve up to 50% of military-enlisted employees, and, according to the founder, this quota is almost always selected.
About money
Igor Belov noted that volunteer enthusiasm gradually diminished about six months after the start of the full-scale invasion.
«Cash is the lifeblood of any business,» he adds, explaining that it is impossible to work effectively for a long time without certain funding.
Logics7's revenues for 2023, according to YouControl, increased tenfold compared to the previous period. And the founder himself emphasizes that it was with the beginning of the full-scale invasion and during the war that the company’s growth took place.
«At the end of 2022, we started some activity, but these were one-time sales, not systematic. Systematic work began in 2023. And we recorded, comparing 2023 and 2024, a doubling of volumes,» he explains.
In 2024, the company produced over 1,000 simulators. However, Igor Belov adds that the company spends all the funds received on the team, the development of existing products, and reinvests in new developments specifically for the army, ideas for which are suggested to them by the defenders themselves.
Training at Logics7 (Photo provided by the press service)
Speaking about the price of simulators, Igor does not give exact figures, but says that the price varies from several to tens of thousands of dollars.
«Our price is at the lower threshold, below which the business simply will not exist, and this is at least three times less than the price in Europe for similar training systems,» adds the company’s founder.
However, he also emphasizes, for example, that a shot from a Javelin ATGM costs about $300,000, and a tank destroyed by a well-aimed shot can cost about $8 million. According to letters of appreciation from individual brigades, in 9 months, Logics7 training complexes pay for themselves almost 1,800 times.
The company is currently developing an investment strategy and preparing to receive external investments. However, Igor Belov is not disclosing any details yet.
«I think we won’t reinvent the wheel, and we’ll use the tools we have today,» he says.
Igor Belov also added that the company had prepared certain pitches, and following participation in the accelerator, which included a trip to Silicon Valley, which was paid for by the organizers, 20 out of 100 participants were given the opportunity to go, and they were among those who won the competition.
About plans for product changes
According to the company’s founder, it used to be possible to surprise someone with the development of individual simulators. Today, the company plans to master a different plane, that is, move away from weapon simulators and build a virtual environment for combat simulators.
«Such equipment is now necessary, like windows, like doors, like any other equipment that is available in military units, for training,» says Igor Belov.
According to him, this system is already being tested and implemented in our military units, but it is not being distributed to everyone, as it still needs some improvements. The company, he adds, also aims to become the basis for training in virtual space in international markets.
«I hope that someday there will be an opportunity to simulate a country’s war against a country in the virtual world. Perhaps someday this will be resolved in the form of a game, rather than in a real war,» emphasizes Igor Belov.
About plans for geographic scaling
Logics7 plans to enter international markets. And given that the sale of military simulators abroad has been de facto banned since 2022 (as well as the export of weapons), Igor Belov reports that they are working on the legal side of the issue. He notes that there are certain tools for entering foreign markets, and they are working on this with the state structures responsible for this.
«For export control, it is important to understand whether the products we produce for Ukraine today are enough, or whether we have a certain opportunity to produce more for the foreign market as well,» emphasizes Igor Belov.
He said the restrictions were in place to ensure the military’s needs and to keep important resources in the country. However, he also noted that Logics7 currently has a steady supply in stock and is ready to significantly increase production if funding becomes available.
Analyzing its capabilities, including the likelihood of entering the foreign market, the company predicts a 2.5-fold increase in production this year, both of various simulators using small arms and simulators for heavy weapons.
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