In the past six months, the Ministry of Defense has contracted drones for the Armed Forces of Ukraine worth more than ₴333 billion
In the first half of 2026, the Defense Procurement Agency of the State Logistics Operator signed contracts worth 333.6 billion hryvnias for the supply of unmanned aerial vehicles to the Defense Forces. This is twice as much as during the same period last year.
FPV drones account for the largest share of the contracted UAVs. Purchases were made, in particular, through the state-run DOT-Chain Defense weapons marketplace, which allows combat units to independently select the necessary equipment using budget funds, while the agency handles contract execution, payment, and logistics. The average delivery time for available equipment through the platform is nine days.
The Ministry of Defense noted that this year it has implemented a new approach to drone procurement. The demand for drones is determined based on data from digital systems, including eBaliv, DOT-Chain, Brave1 Market, DELTA, and Mission Control, which allows for the procurement of models that have proven their effectiveness on the battlefield.
In addition, for certain categories of UAVs, closed competitive bidding is used based on tactical and technical specifications defined by the General Staff. The Ministry of Defense, together with the Cabinet of Ministers and the State Logistics Operator, has also introduced a mechanism to adjust the cost of contracts for fiber-optic drones to ensure uninterrupted supply despite rising global prices for optical fiber.
The ministry emphasized that supplying the military with unmanned aerial vehicles remains one of the key priorities of defense policy, as drones are used for striking targets, reconnaissance, laying mines, and supporting troops on the front lines.
This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
As a reminder, the Ministry of Defense has certified over 400 new drones in the past six months.
After appointing Yevhen Khmara as acting Minister of Defense, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined his main task. According to the head of state, the key focus of his work will be overseeing the long-range operations of the Ukrainian Security Forces.
