Ukraine regulates drone and electronic warfare equipment purchases during martial law

The Cabinet of Ministers has formalized the process for procuring domestically produced unmanned systems and electronic warfare (EW) equipment, effective throughout the current martial law period.

The government's permanent representative in the Verkhovna Rada, Taras Melnychuk, announced this decision in a Telegram post following a government meeting, Ukrinform reports.

"Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 1275 'Some Issues of Implementing Defense Procurement for the Period of the Legal Regime of Martial Law,' dated November 11, 2022, has been supplemented with the procedure for procuring domestically produced unmanned systems, tactical-level electronic warfare systems, and their components during martial law," Melnychuk wrote.

The State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection explained that the amendment replaces an earlier experimental project designed to facilitate defense procurement. This change applies to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard, the State Border Guard Service, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Police, and other entities within the country's security and defense sectors.

"As of today, to ensure uninterrupted supplies of drones and electronic warfare equipment, the Cabinet of Ministers has authorized their procurement until the end of martial law in Ukraine. Previously, such procurement was carried out under an experimental project authorized by Resolution No. 256, dated March 24, 2023," the State Service said.

Resolution No. 256 permitted the acquisition of unmanned systems and EW equipment to enhance the defense capabilities of Ukraine's security and defense forces. However, this arrangement was set to remain in effect only until March 27, 2025. The new regulation ensures continuity beyond this date, aligning procurement policies with the ongoing martial law situation.