Combat Brigades of Armed Forces Received Over UAH 12 Billion for Drones and Special Equipment

28 March, 2025 A serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Photo: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine The Ministry of Defence has allocated almost UAH 12.3 billion to support the combat brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the first quarter of 2025.

This was reported on the ministry's website. These funds are intended for the purchase of drones, electronic warfare (EW) equipment, vehicles and other important equipment to improve the efficiency of units at the front. In particular, the Drone Line project was launched at the initiative of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi.

As part of this program, the five most successful combat units in the use of UAVs were given the opportunity to purchase drones, electronic warfare equipment, and vehicles for mobile groups on their own. "Thanks to the drones, this will make it possible to create a killzone on the frontline and make it impossible for enemy manpower and vehicles to move," the Ministry of Defence said.

Illustration photo of an FPV drone in the hands of an NGU soldier. Photo: NGU

It is noted that prompt financing of the needs of combat units was a priority of the Ministry of Defence.

After all, defenders on the ground best understand the current needs in specific areas of the combat line. Therefore, they can independently determine the priority procurement of drones. Hlib Kanevskyi, Director of the Procurement Policy Department of the Ministry of Defence, emphasized that the department strived to deliver new Ukrainian drones to combat brigades as soon as possible.

Therefore, at the beginning of 2025, procurement rules for military units were changed, allowing them to purchase both codified and non-codified products under simplified procedures. "Such rapid procurement enables combat brigades to test the best innovative models of domestic UAVs on the battlefield and offer them for scaling to the country's military and political leadership," Kanevskyi said. The Ministry of Defence promises to continue the practice of direct financing of combat brigades, providing them with the opportunity to independently determine their priority needs.

BTR-4E in service with the 56th Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Ukraine, June 2024.

Photo: 56th Brigade

In addition, in 2025, the Ministry signed contracts with 12 Ukrainian arms manufacturers for almost UAH 130 billion as part of the Weapons of Victory initiative.

Earlier, the Ministry of Defence said that Ukrainian drone manufacturers that increased the share of localized production of components would have advantages in procurement for the Armed Forces.