Державне Підприємтво Агенція Оборонних Закупівель Міністерства Оборони України

The Defense Procurement Agency of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense signs artillery ammunition contract with Rheinmetall   The concluded contract provides for the supply of 155mm artillery rounds.   In December 2024, the Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense concluded the contract with Rheinmetall for the delivery of 155mm artillery rounds.   "Establishing direct contracting relationships with leading global arms manufacturers for each critical inventory item is crucial for the Agency, as it enhances the reliability of supplies. We are sincerely grateful to Rheinmetall for their contribution to supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine," said Maryna Bezrukova, Director of the Defense Procurement Agency.   The contracted shells are scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2025. They can be fired by most of the 155mm artillery howitzers currently used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Maryna Bezrukova, Director of Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency, took part in a conference on bolstering European defense capabilities, organized by the European Conservatives and Reformists Group of the European Parliament. The event, held in Kyiv, focused particularly on prospects for European defense industry cooperation. The conference brought together key stakeholders from the Ukrainian government alongside European diplomats, defense industry leaders, and experts, including representatives from 13 defense companies based in Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, Poland, and Germany. Discussions centered on developing actionable solutions to support defense capabilities, with particular attention to regulatory support for investments and securing supply chains. This closed, invitation-only event produced a list of proposed solutions for further development by European and Ukrainian institutions. During her presentation, Maryna Bezrukova shared insights on ensuring effective defense procurement processes and fostering international partnerships. She noted that while Ukrainian manufacturers account for almost 60% of all Agency contracts in 2024, the Agency has also established over 40 direct contracts with global arms manufacturers from 13 countries. "A key priority is expanding the Agency's procurement scope to all branches of the Defense Forces, including the National Guard and other units, not just the Armed Forces. Establishing long-term cooperation with manufacturers is also extremely important," Bezrukova said about current priorities.

🇺🇦🇳🇴 The Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) team successfully completed a project management course led by the Forsvarsmateriell - Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) The course aimed to provide the DPA team with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement international standards that will support reforms in Ukraine's defense sector. Participants gained in-depth understanding of specific tools used in NDMA's work, compared these practices with the Ukrainian context, and proposed ways to implement new approaches in DPA's operations. NATO's defense procurement policy emphasizes interoperability, transparency, and efficiency, which are crucial for the combat capability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Given Ukraine's strategic goal of NATO membership, implementation of these practices ensures the country's defense procurement aligns with the Alliance's operational standards. This not only strengthens Ukraine's defense capabilities but also enhances trust and cooperation with our partners. We are grateful to our partners for supporting professional capacity development!

Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency Director Maryna Bezrukova and the Ukrainian delegation, including representatives from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, and the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NABU), participated in the NATO-Ukraine Strategic Defence Procurement Review Forum in Luxembourg. We shared our experience in wartime defense procurement and key challenges throughout 2024 with NATO allies. In the initial months of the full-scale war, rapid procurement was the priority to provide the Armed Forces with weapons as soon as possible. However, in the conditions of attrition warfare, efficient resource management became an equally important factor. Direct cooperation with manufacturers proves most effective. The Agency reduced the share of the most common intermediaries, special importers, from 69% to 36% in 2024 procurement contracts compared to 2023. We strive to encourage competition in every possible way, particularly through active market engagement to receive current commercial offers. The Agency utilized Prozorro's framework agreements for defense procurement of dual-use goods and civilian drones, which had been long deemed impossible. Early this year, the Agency’s structure was changed to make our work more efficient. We established specialized offices for different types of armament, strengthening internal expertise. Additionally, a multi-level anti-corruption system was implemented, combining mutual control between different departments and security units' operations. Throughout 2024, the Agency established cooperation with procurement agencies of NATO member countries to exchange experience in armament and military equipment procurement. We have signed six memorandums of cooperation, with three more in preparation. The high level of trust in international partnership is illustrated by the "Danish Initiative", under which €535 million has already been transferred for purchasing Ukrainian-manufactured weapons to be delivered by the end of 2024. The Agency, together with the Ministry of Defense, provided information about manufacturers, weapons effectiveness, production capabilities, and compliance with anti-corruption standards. We continue to reform defense procurement and expand international cooperation to effectively meet the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Find out more ➡️ https://cutt.ly/KeZOJpOT

🇺🇦🇳🇴The «Defense Procurement Agency» of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (DPA) and the Forsvarsmateriell - Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) have signed a new letter of intent that provides for strengthening of an ongoing cooperation in the field of arms procurement. The signing of the document creates opportunities for the exchange of information between Ukraine and Norway in the context of procurement of defense-purposed goods, in particular regarding current offers on the arms and military equipment market. In addition, there is an opportunity for joint R&D in the field of weapons innovations. An important focus of cooperation remains the holding of training courses by the NDMA team for DPA employees, which allows adaptation of the best experience of NATO procurement agencies in Ukraine, considering the realities of a full-scale war. «Successful history of the Norwegian agency demonstrates how big of a contribution such capable and independent institutions play in ensuring the country's armed needs are met. While at war, it is critically important for us to adopt this experience in a very short term, and so we are grateful to Norway for its readiness to provide comprehensive support in this regard,» said Maryna Bezrukova, director of the Defense Procurement Agency. As part of the cooperation between the agencies, two project groups are involved — in Oslo and Kyiv respectively. At the same time, training has already been conducted, specifically in contract and project management, risk management, international arbitration and in the HRM area. All this is designed to develop the professional capabilities of the Defense Procurement Agency.

Foreign Policy analyzed the possibilities of the United States in financing arms purchases for Ukraine and the role of the Defense Procurement Agency in this process. The publication believes that the creation of the Defense Procurement Agency is the change that will ensure transparent contracting of weapons directly with manufacturers. At the same time, the reform-oriented management of the Defense Procurement Agency excludes intermediaries from the arms supply chain in favor of direct contracts. One of the signs of the success of this process is the constant resistance from intermediaries. With the support of allies, the Ministry of Defense has formed a supervisory board for the Defense Procurement Agency, which includes reputable independent experts to oversee procurement. This will help maintain high standards in arms procurement, make the process even more efficient, and ensure the Agency’s independence. It is important to note that the United States would not be the first government to finance the purchase of Ukrainian arms. For example, Denmark is financing contracts between Ukraine and defense manufacturers. Our countries have developed a transparent financial control mechanism, which includes production visits, delivery verification, and audit processes. Read more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4hzT9td

Last week, our Philip Reeker had the privilege of meeting with Maryna Bezrukova, the new CEO of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) MoD of Ukraine. At our firm, we leverage a global network of experts to provide comprehensive advisory services, helping businesses navigate the evolving economic and investment landscape shaped by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. With a strong focus on coalition building and stakeholder engagement, we empower companies to effectively navigate the complexities of investing in Ukraine and seize emerging opportunities. For more information about our offering, please reach out to philip.reeker@dgagroup.com.

🇺🇦🇺🇸 The delegation of the Defense Procurement Agency took part in a meeting with U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) members in Washington, DC The meeting focused on the key priorities in arms procurement, opportunities to deepen cooperation between the Defense Procurement Agency and American companies, and the necessary steps to conclude direct contracts with representatives of the US defense industry. The meeting was attended by about 20 organizations and companies, including U.S. Department of State, L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems and others. We are grateful to our partners for organizing this important event, for their dialogue and support!  

Director of the Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Maryna Bezrukova takes part in the international arms exhibition AUSA-2024. An annual event organized by the Association of the United States Army - AUSA of the United States Army, AUSA National is the largest international platform that brings together representatives of public and private defense corporations from over 80 countries. It features a high-level presence of the USA and allied military leadership, discussions and exchange of experience. Our key goal is to establish long-term cooperation with the world's leading arms manufacturers and to attract the support of international partners for the procurement of weapons and military equipment from Ukrainian manufacturers. We are grateful to our colleagues from Denmark for their leadership in this area. And also to the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States Oksana Markarova for very fruitful meetings and advocacy efforts in support of Ukraine. 

🇺🇦🇫🇷The Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with KNDS France for the procurement of CAESAR Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency has signed a contract with KNDS France company for the procurement of 155mm self-propelled artillery systems CAESAR. The contract signing ceremony was attended by French Ambassador to Ukraine Gael Weyssiere, KNDS Vice President for Europe and the Americas Alexandre Penley and Director of the Defense Procurement Agency Maryna Bezrukova. «The Defense Procurement Agency continues to implement the Ministry of Defene's policy of concluding direct contracts with the world's leading arms manufacturers. I am convinced that the agreement with KNDS France for the purchase of CAESAR, which has already demonstrated its effectiveness on the battlefield, will strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine», said Maryna Bezrukova, Director of the Defense Procurement Agency. KNDS (formerly KMW+Nexter) is a French-German defense company specializing in the manufacture of artillery systems, tanks and NATO-caliber ammunition. The company has recently opened a representative office in Ukraine. «We are sincerely pleased to sign the contract after the opening of the KNDS office in Ukraine, as well as to cooperate with the Defense Procurement Agency, which ensures the most clear and coordinated cooperation with partners. It is our company's duty to provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine with high-quality equipment», said Alexandre Penley, Vice president Europe & Americas KNDS France.