Information current as of 6 May 2026.

Key findings

• For the first time, 2,000 women’s modular body armour vests have been procured for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). However, despite this positive development, the quantity falls short of requirements: as of March 2026, the AFU comprised over 55,000 female service personnel.
• At DOT Defence Procurement Agency’s (DOT) initiative, five partner countries established an international defence procurement coalition – CORPUS (Coalition for Resilient Procurement and Unified Support).
• In April, DOT concluded 142 contracts totalling UAH 7.6 billion. Nearly half comprised fuel procurements. These contracts were concluded following a series of unsuccessful March lots amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
• A global fibre-optic cable shortage has driven prices up 5–7-fold, causing the cost of fibre-optic FPV drones on the Brave1 Market marketplace to double. In response, DOT introduced a price adjustment mechanism for contracts covering such drones.
• DOT introduced an advance payment mechanism for producers within the DOT-Chain Defence system. Companies with a consistent track record of contract fulfilment may now receive a portion of funds in advance.
• PARTNER UKRAINE LLC failed to deliver ration packs, whilst SM-KASMAD LLC and UT COMPANY LLC failed to deliver canned meat products. Of the contracted 1.4 million ration sets, only 12.3% were delivered. Furthermore, 30% of the contracted 1.69 million kg of canned goods remained undelivered.
• Following a series of unsuccessful March tenders, DOT transitioned to formula-based pricing for diesel procurement.

In April, the DOT announced 158 tenders (250 lots) with an expected value of UAH 18.4 billion. The majority (UAH 11.1 billion) comprised tenders for the procurement of food supplies. Over 87% of all Prozorro procurements were initiated under the simplified procedure, with a further 7% conducted under framework agreements. An additional 4% were open tenders with special conditions, and 2% were procurements conducted without the electronic system – to support the Agency’s operational requirements. In total, 101 companies participated in the tenders, excluding drone procurements. The average number of bids per tender stood at 1.51. The most competitive category was UAVs, attracting 4.8 bids per tender.

Competition Indicators in DOT-Announced Procurements in April 2026

The “number of bids per tender” indicator covers only successful lots and may contain errors associated with the Prozorro BI system. The analysis does not cover procurements of weapons, military equipment, special means and other procurements with restricted data access.
* Does not include the Agency’s defence procurements and contracts concluded within DOT-Chain Defence deliveries.

In April, DOT concluded 142 contracts totalling UAH 7.6 billion – resulting from tenders announced both in April and in preceding months. The largest share – 46.4% (UAH 3.52 billion) – comprised Petroleum an Lubricants (POL) procurements. Contracting resumed following a series of unsuccessful March lots caused by a sharp rise in oil prices against the backdrop of the war in the Middle East. UAV procurement accounted for UAH 2.6 billion (34.8%); however, this figure does not include the Agency’s undisclosed direct contracts or procurements through DOT-Chain Defence. Food expenditure totalled UAH 784.5 million, with materiel accounting for UAH 600.2 million.

DOT Contracts Concluded in April 2026

Institutional Changes

During the April, several important changes took place within the defence procurement landscape.

At the start of the month, the Cabinet of Ministers granted DOT the status of a Centralised Procurement Authority (CPA). The DOT now administers the Prozorro electronic goods catalogue for defence procurers. At present, the catalogue covers 4 categories: new pick-up trucks, motorcycles, quad bikes, and buggies – exclusively for the Defence Forces.

This change simplifies procurement for military units. Previously, units independently conducted market analysis, verified suppliers, and carried out procurements. These functions are now centralised with DOT. The Agency conducts market consultations, standardises requirements for goods categories, and verifies participants. A procuring entity need only select the required category and issue a request. The system automatically selects suppliers from a pre-verified list.

International Military Assistance

Following the EU Council’s unblocking of a EUR 90 billion credit programme – approximately EUR 60 billions of which is earmarked for military support in 2026-2027 – the Cabinet of Ministers adopted amendments to the framework governing the coordination of international military assistance. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) may now utilise international funds for procurements not only for its own needs but for all structures of the Defence Forces. The Ministry will become a ‘single window’ for consolidating the requirements of the security and defence sector, including the needs of:

• the National Guard of Ukraine;
• the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine;
• the Security Service of Ukraine;
• other formations participating in the defence of the state.

The DOT, in turn, will be able to conduct procurements using funds from international partners in the interests of the entire security and defence sector.

The International CORPUS Coalition

At DOT’s initiative, Ukraine, together with partner countries, established an international defence procurement coalition – CORPUS. Procurement agencies from Finland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have already joined, with membership remaining open for expansion.

Interaction between agencies will take place at the operational level – through the exchange of market engagement solutions, digital tools, anti-corruption and compliance practices, and supply chain organisation. This is intended to improve procurement planning and strengthen stable supply chains.

Arsen Zhumadilov will chair the coalition during its first year. Thereafter, the chairmanship will rotate by unanimous decision of the participants.

UAV

Key risks:

• shortage and sharp price increase of fibre-optic cable.
• dependence on Chinese components poses risks to production stability.

Pricing Crisis in the Fibre-Optic Drone Market

The Defence Forces are increasingly reliant on fibre-optic FPV drones, the price of which has risen globally by at least 5–7-fold since January 2025. The cause of the fibre-optic price surge is the rapid construction of data centres as part of AI infrastructure, combined with growing military demand from Russia and Ukraine.

Such drones are less vulnerable to electronic warfare (EW) countermeasures, as they are guided via a physical cable rather than a radio signal.

As 60% of global production concentrated in China, pricing is largely determined by the Chinese market. Over the year, the cost of one kilometre of standard cable in China tripled : from $2.33 in January 2025 to $5.83 in January 2026, reaching $30 per kilometre by the end of the first quarter. Thus, based on current open-source data, as of March 2026 the price of cable had risen approximately 12-fold since January 2025.

Chinese manufacturers have shifted focus to domestic infrastructure projects and have effectively prioritised exports to the Russian defence industry. Smaller volumes are produced by the United States, South Korea, Japan, and Italy – with their products priced at up to $50 per kilometre of fibre-optic cable. Whilst Russia continues to procure Chinese reels and cables, Ukraine is forced to combine both import sources.

Manufacturers of such UAVs have simultaneously been raising prices on the Brave1 Market state marketplace – by an average of twofold: from UAH 30,000–60,000 in 2025 contracts to UAH 66,000–122,000 in early May 2026. The price spike is driven by the forced partial transition by Ukrainian manufacturers from Chinese fibre-optic cable, which cost approximately $7 per kilometre, to European and American alternatives priced at up to $50. Raw material costs alone have increased 5–7-fold. Meanwhile, a significant share of listings on the marketplace remains unavailable for order due to lengthy procedural approvals and contract reviews.

A separate problem arose with DOT’s centralised contracts with fixed prices that no longer reflected market rates. In response, the MoD and DOT initiated amendments to the procurement procedure for unmanned systems with fibre-optic control channels. From the end of March, the Agency has been able to adjust contract values proportionally to changes in the prices of components for such drones – fibre-optic cable, reels, spools, etc. To do so, suppliers must provide updated calculations or an expert assessment. As of end-April 2026, over 92% of the volume of fibre-optic drones delivered to the armed forces year-to-date had been centrally supplied (374,000 drones).

DOT-Chain Defence

From the start of 2026 through the end of April, 613,000 UAVs were contracted through the DOT-Chain Defence system, with total funds disbursed amounting to UAH 14 billion.

In April, DOT introduced an advance payment mechanism for producers: previously, the system operated solely on a post-delivery payment basis. Companies with a consistent track record of contract fulfilment may now receive a portion of funds in advance. This is intended to help manufacturers scale up production and drone deliveries more rapidly.

Also in April, units of the ‘Drone Line’ gained access to the system. The MoD allocated UAH 2.1 billion for operations through the marketplace. In under 2 weeks, they placed orders worth UAH 184.8 million. The first deliveries, valued at UAH 40.8 million, have already been transferred to units.

The ‘Drone Line’ is a presidential project launched in 2025, aimed at scaling up the most effective unmanned systems units and integrating them with infantry into a unified strike structure.

Previously, units received equipment through the incentive model of the ‘Army of Drones. Bonus’ programme: in exchange for completing combat missions or destroying targets, servicemen received points redeemable for purchases through Brave1 Market and DOT-Chain Defence. Following their experience with the marketplace, units expressed a wish to direct a portion of direct funding towards procurements through DOT-Chain Defence.

Procurement of Reconnaissance UAVs Through Prozorro

In April, 15,525 Chinese reconnaissance UAVs of various types were procured through Prozorro for UAH 2.6 billion. These drones are intended for reconnaissance of enemy positions deep in the rear and for artillery spotting.

The largest quantity contracted was the DJI Matrice 4T model – 5,800 units. The most expensive type is the Autel Evo Max 4N, with an average contract price of UAH 219,000 per unit.

UAV Procurements via Prozorro in April 2026

During April, the DOT also terminated 2 contracts for the procurement of reconnaissance UAVs through Prozorro: a contract for the supply of 251 DJI Matrice 4T units valued at UAH 45.8 million, and a contract for 200 DJI Matrice 4E units valued at UAH 28.7 million. The grounds were likely non-compliance with quality requirements – in both cases, supplementary agreements regarding product quality had previously been concluded.

Food Procurement

Key risks:

• systematic failures to deliver ration packs due to contract non-fulfilment
• selection as winners of companies that previously supplied substandard products

Ration Packs

PARTNER UKRAINE LLC failed to deliver ration packs due to missed deadlines – in April, DOT terminated 14 contracts totalling UAH 456.7 million. The company was obliged to supply 1.2 million standard and 220,000 enhanced ration packs by December 2025. However, as of end-April 2026, only 169,614 enhanced packs had been delivered, with zero standard packs supplied.

This situation reflects a broader systemic problem: of the 4.1 million ration packs contracted in 2025, only 9% (367,000 units) have been delivered. This is wholly inadequate, given that 1 set is calculated per person per day. 

In April, the Agency concluded 17 contracts for the procurement of 1.9 million standard ration packs (menus No. 1–14) for a total of UAH 784.5 million. The saving achieved was UAH 13.6 million.

The largest volume – 905,086 sets – was contracted from Dnipro-based DIGITAL LLC at the highest price among participants: UAH 416 per unit. The company is associated with PARTNER UKRAINE LLC, whose contracts were just terminated. Both firms share a common co-founder – the VS INVESTMENT venture fund of Dnipro businessman Vladyslav Shtipelman.

The smallest volume – 140,000 packs for UAH 52.9 million – was contracted from KHODORIVSKYI MEAT PROCESSING PLANT LLC. GRAND CONSULT LLC also became a new ration pack supplier (611,002 sets) for UAH 247.3 million. The company had previously supplied exclusively food sets for DOT under the Catalogue, but in March 2026 participated in ration pack tenders for the first time. GRAND CONSULT LLC is implicated in a criminal case known as ‘the eggs at UAH 17.’ Until November 2024, GRAND CONSULT LLC was owned by Tetiana Hlyniana, who is currently on the NABU wanted list.

Nevertheless, over half of April’s ration pack tenders were unsuccessful – 19 of 36 lots (53%) failed due to the absence of participants. As a result, it was not possible to procure 957,495 standard packs worth UAH 402.6 million.

Ration Pack Procurements in April 2026

Canned Meat Products

Also in April, DOT terminated 3 contracts with SM-KASMAD LLC for the supply of canned meat products due to missed delivery deadlines: 218,337 kg of braised pork (UAH 34.9 million), 98,280 kg of meat breakfast products (UAH 17 million), and 84,105 kg of braised beef (UAH 19.9 million).

At the start of May, the Agency terminated a further contract with UT COMPANY LLC for the supply of 98,280 kg of meat breakfast products worth UAH 17.7 million. The grounds were simultaneous missed delivery deadlines and the failure of sampled products to meet DSTU requirements, which rendered shipment impossible.

All goods were to have been delivered by the end of March 2026. As a result of these terminations, 30% of the contracted 1.69 million kg of canned goods remained undelivered.

Materiel

Key risks:

• insufficient volume of materiel for female service personnel in the Requirement
• familial ties between tender participants
• selection as winners of companies that previously supplied substandard products

In April, DOT concluded 55 contracts for the supply of materiel totalling UAH 600.2 million, achieving a saving of UAH 26.7 million. Details on key individual procurements are shown in the table below.

Key Materiel Procurements in April 2026

Body Armour

The largest funding allocation in the materiel category – UAH 42.5 million – was directed towards the procurement of 2,300 modular body armour vests (configuration 1–5).

A contract for 2,000 vests was concluded with LEADER STP LLC at UAH 16,400 per unit – with delivery by end-September 2026. A further 300 units were contracted with the sole participant UKRTAK.UA LLC at UAH 32,202 with delivery by end-June.

The expected value across the 2 lots differs by almost 50%: UAH 21,639.50 for 2,000 vests versus UAH 32,213 for 300 units – likely attributable to the smaller volume and tighter delivery deadlines in the second contract.

LEADER STP LLC first appeared in DOT tenders in January 2026. 1 month prior, the company was named TEMP-2000 LLC and formed part of the SCIENTIFIC-PRODUCTION ENTERPRISE TEMP-3000 corporate group of Yurii Yevtushenko – with his son Hlib Yevtushenko as owner. Following the company’s first tender win – a contract for the supply of 40,000 combat helmets worth UAH 295.84 million – Hlib Yevtushenko exited the ownership structure, and the company left the corporate group.

In April’s body armour tender, LEADER STP LLC submitted the KORSAR M3mp-6 model manufactured by TEMP-3000 LLC. Its bid of UAH 32.8 million proved victorious. TEMP-3000 LLC also participated in the same tender with the same model – but offered a price 14% higher (UAH 37.4 million) and came second.

In addition, LEADER STP LLC and TEMP-3000 LLC jointly participated in the tender for 1,200 body armour covers. LEADER STP LLC submitted the lowest price – UAH 9,833.30 per unit – but its bid was rejected for the absence of documentation on employees. As a result, the contract was awarded to NVP TEMP-3000 LLC at UAH 12,100 per unit – the next lowest bid.

Separately in April, the Agency contracted TEMP-3000 LLC for 1,000 modular body armour vests (configuration 1–8) at UAH 25,855, and 600 lightweight vests at UAH 19,500 per unit. This is the second occasion on which DOT has procured lightweight vests. The first 10,000 units were purchased in April 2025 for UAH 199.97 million. This procurement represented the Agency’s third attempt: the first tender was cancelled due to the absence of a requirement for a licence to sell personal protective equipment, and the second attracted no bids.

The technical specification for lightweight vests was approved by the MoD in April 2024, with the reference sample approved in October of the same year. The lightweight model weighs between 7.5 and 12 kg depending on size. For comparison, a modular vest in basic configuration 1–5 weighs between 10.5 and 15.5 kg, whilst configuration 1–8 reaches up to 17.5 kg.

Women’s Body Armour

In April, DOT announced tenders for the procurement of women’s modular body armour vests (configuration 1–5) for the first time. Only TEMP-3000 LLC entered the tender, with which a contract was concluded for 2,000 units at UAH 23,520 per unit. Despite this positive development, the quantity is wholly insufficient: as of March 2026, the AFU alone comprises over 55,000 female service personnel.

Current specifications for the modular and lightweight models include an additional element under code ‘ZH’ (stands for Female) – damping inserts on the inner walls of the chest cover, or other solutions adapting the vest to female anatomy. 2 samples with this element have so far been approved. The first – the KHARAKTERNYTSIA model from UKRAINSKA BRONYA LLC – features an outward-curved armour plate, narrower shoulders, and a wider lower section. The second – from NVP TEMP-3000 LLC – is fitted with damping pads for individual adjustment to the female body. Both variants range in size from S to XL (height 162 to 190+ cm), with a total weight of between 10.5 and 15.5 kg.

Personal Heating Devices

In April, the Agency concluded a contract with SIRIUS-O LLC for the supply of 501,000 chemical hand-warmer sets at UAH 30.50 per set. The first batch (101,000 units) is due by 25 July, with the remainder (400,000 units) by end-September.

The new contract followed the failure of previous deliveries. In early April, the Agency terminated its contract with PRIVATE REAR OPERATOR LLC or 501,000 hand-warmers at UAH 21 per set. Under the terms of the contract, the first 200,000 sets were due by 20 March – but the company failed to fulfil its obligations. manufacturer IMEX MAX LLC, had written to the Agency at the start of February to warn of a delay: raw materials had been purchased and loaded onto a vessel and were due to arrive in early April. Delivery of the first 200,000 sets was shifted to the end of May, with the remainder o

PRYVATNY OPERATOR TYLU LLC had already failed on 2 previous contracts for 300,000 hand-warmers, also manufactured by IMEX MAX LLC. In February, with a 2-month delay, the supplier shipped only 24 24,000 units, rise in frostbite cases at the front. Nevertheless, at the end of December 2025, DOT concluded a new contract with the same company for 501,000 hand-warmers – despite already being in possession of information regarding the unfulfilled obligations. For further detail, see report ‘Mamo’ and the AFU: An Analysis of the Failure to Supply Chemical Heat Packs’.

In the repeat tender in April 2026, DOT rejected 2 cheaper participants. The bid of IMEX MAX LLC (UAH 21.50 per set) was rejected on the grounds of falsified documents and terminated contracts – although the company disputes this, arguing that the terminated agreements relate to PRIVATE REAR OPERATOR LLC as a separate legal entity and not to the manufacturer. EKVIPTORG LLC (UAH 23 per set) was rejected for deficiencies in documentation and 3 terminated contracts. SIRIUS-O LLC ultimately prevailed – at a price 45% higher than the terminated contract.

Goggles

In April, the Agency procured 10,000 ballistic goggles for UAH 8 million (UAH 800 per unit) from TS TRADE UKRAINE LLC – a distributor of the Chinese manufacturer Guangdong Yijia Optical Technology Co. In early May, a further 6,000 goggles were contracted at the same price.

The company had previously had a negative experience with DOT. In September 2024, TS TRADE UKRAINE LLC supplied 18,000 ballistic goggles with a mask from the same Chinese manufacturer – however, the goods did not meet the declared protective characteristics and did not provide adequate fragment protection. This is documented in a State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) criminal case. The investigation also established that the MoD sustained losses of UAH 25.7 million.

Despite this, in February 2026, the Agency concluded a new contract with the same company for 90,000 similar goggles at UAH 680 per unit – 15% below the April price.

In total, contracts for materiel in April were concluded with 31 companies.

Materiel Suppliers in April 2026

Unsuccessful Procurements

April was also marked by a series of unsuccessful tenders in the materiel category. Due to the absence of participants, 28 lots totalling UAH 508.6 million could not be fulfilled. Delivery of the goods was planned from end-June through to the end of the year.

The greatest difficulties arose with winter clothing and summer uniforms:

• 78,500 winter jackets – UAH 247.4 million;
• 66,000 winter trousers – UAH 147.5 million;
• 35,300 summer field uniforms – UAH 68.3 million.

Procurement of gloves, hearing protection, polo shirts, underwear, and other basic items also failed.

Last year, tenders likewise failed to proceed due to the absence of participants – at that time, the Agency significantly reduced the expected value, in some cases almost halving it relative to 2024 contract prices. After several months of unsuccessful procurements, DOT revised its approach and raised the expected value to the level of 2024 contracts, and in some categories higher, which allowed contracting to resume.

In April 2026, the expected value was in line with contracts concluded at the end of 2025; however, participants did not enter the tenders. A possible reason for the absence of participants is rising production costs, which make participation in tenders at the current expected value economically unviable.

Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL)

Key risks:

• dependence of contracts on fluctuations in global oil prices

POL Procurements in April 2026

In April, the Agency concluded 17 contracts with JSC UKRNAFTA for the supply of 35,000 tonnes of summer diesel fuel totalling UAH 2.3 billion – following a series of unsuccessful March tenders. At that time, amid a rapid rise in global oil prices, suppliers refused to conclude contracts at fixed prices. The situation was resolved following a transition to formula-based pricing indexed to the international Platts benchmark. For further detail, see the StateWatch March monitoring report.

For comparison, the average price per tonne of summer diesel in April contracts stood at UAH 65,400 – twice the April 2025 figure (approximately UAH 33,000). The increase is attributable to a sharp rise in global oil quotations: the Brent crude price jumped from $72 per barrel in February to $118 at end-March amid escalating hostilities in the Middle East. Following the announcement of a ceasefire, the market gradually stabilised – to $94 by mid-April.

Separately in April, DOT concluded 2 contracts each with JSC UKRNAFTA for the supply of 5,000 tonnes of A-80 petrol totalling UAH 299.2 million, and 3,000 tonnes of A-95 petrol totalling UAH 232.9 million. Unlike the diesel contracts, these agreements do not include indexation to the international Platts benchmark.

Price dynamics differ between grades. The cost of A-95 rose 34.6% compared to February procurements – from UAH 57,680 to UAH 77,640 per tonne. The price of A-80 changed considerably less: UAH 59,830 per tonne versus UAH 57,100 in February – an increase of approximately 4.8%.

In total, POL contracts in April were concluded with 2 companies – JSC UKRNAFTA and IMEKS KHIMHRUP PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.

The StateWatch monitoring covers exclusively procurements published in the Prozorro electronic system. Accordingly, the sample does not include direct contracts and other procurements – particularly those for weapons and military equipment – information on which constitutes a state secret and/or was not published in the system. Consequently, the number of contracts and their total value presented in the monitoring reflect only a portion of the volume contracted.

Recommendations Based on the Analysis of Challenges in April 2026

To the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

To the DOT Defence Procurement Agency

To the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine

To the Logistics Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine