Polyakov sells his stake in Firefly under pressure from the U.S. government.

Ukrainian businessman Maksym Polyakov has agreed to sell his stake in the private missile manufacturer Firefly Aerospace under pressure from the U.S. government, citing national security concerns. Representatives of the government and the aerospace industry have objected to Polyakov’s control over the company, fearing that valuable technology could enter Ukraine, Russia, or other countries trying to develop missile programs, reported Bloomberg. Recently, Polyakov’s company won contracts with NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the U.S. Air Force to carry out various missions. Today, Firefly has extensive missile manufacturing and testing facilities in Central Texas and has run a subsidiary in Ukraine that has assisted in technology development.