Ukrainian Manufacturer Ajax Systems "Stands Against Evil", Launches Defense App

Ukrainian manufacturer Ajax Systems is repurposing its "we stand against evil" slogan as the Russian invasion continues, cancelling its Russian business and launching an air raid alert app.

In this report, IPVM examines Ajax Systems and its response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ajax Background

Ajax Systems is a Kyiv-based company which sells smart home/intrusion detection products. In 2019, IPVM profiled Ajax, which used the slogan "We Stand Against Evil" to mean that "people shouldn’t have to live in fear":

Ajax's main product line is the Jeweller series of range extenders, motion cams, control panels, and related smart home items. The company has representative offices in several countries (incl. UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland, UAE, etc.) and LinkedIn shows 557 employees, with products available in more than 100 countries via various distributors. UPDATE: Ajax Systems says it has 2,000 employees total.

Response To Invasion

In response to Russia's invasion, Ajax posted "we stand against evil" with a Ukrainian flag background:

Ajax also posted a link to humanitarian help for Ukraine.

Closes Russia Business

Similar to Axis and Motorola, Ajax stopped doing business in Russia in connection with "the military aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine":

Numerous Western businesses are cutting financial ties with Russia, such as Disney, GM, Shell and BP, and Ikea. Several video surveillance companies have also stopped doing business in Russia in response to the invasion.

Launches Air Raid App

Ajax announced an Air Alert app, which "instantly informs about the beginning and end of a civil defence alert":

The app "generates a loud alert warning" for airstrikes or other attacks "even in the smartphone's silent or sleep mode":

The app generates a loud alert warning of an airstrike, chemical attack, technological catastrophe or other types of civil defence alerts. Air Alert is the only application supporting critical alerts among similar ones. It means that notifications are delivered even in the smartphone’s silent or sleep mode. The app notifications duplicate civil defence sirens in cities, so please consider their signals when reacting to the app notifications. The Air Alert app is an additional tool, not a primary civil defence alerts source.

It is meant to be a "reliable alternative tool" to air raid sirens, which are less effective in "new city districts, small towns and villages":

Civil defence sirens or other informing measures are not so effective in remote or new city districts, in small towns and villages. Therefore, it is necessary to have a reliable alternative tool with alerts to monitor the situation. The app receives signals first-hand from Ukrainian regional administrations, allowing people to react as quickly as possible.

IPVM tried the app, which now has over 1 million downloads and 25 regions available. The app is simple, with one feature: allowing any user to check if there is an air raid warning in their area. At the time we tried it, an alarm was on for Kyiv, sparking a loud wailing noise:

Below was the result a few hours later, showing no air alarms in Kyiv:

Stfalcon Partnership for App

Stfalcon, a Mobile & Web Development and Design Company, initiated this, as Ajax describes:

By the initiative of stfalcon.com, supported by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Ajax Systems has launched the Air Alert app, already available in Google Play Market and AppStore.

Ajax Declines Comment

Ajax's CEO Aleksandr Konotopskyi declined to comment for this article citing current security concerns.

Other Companies Responses

IPVM has collected a dozen video surveillance companies' responses to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Several Western providers such as Axis, Motorola, JCI, and Mobotix halted their business in Russia. AxxonSoft declared it is "no longer Russian" and demanded "respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine". (Its ex-parent, Russia's ITV Group, continues to sell in Russia with AxxonSoft stating it is working to fully separate itself).

The only fully Russian company IPVM received a response from, facial recognition provider VisionLabs, stated "we only hope for a rapid cease-fire action from all sides" but did not condemn the invasion. The only clear indication of support for Russia was from Sunell's CEO who declared "support for Russia and Putin", although later recalling her comments.