The government approved the appointments of three deputy defense ministers to ensure "greater efficiency and agility" in the ministry's work and boost ties with foreign partners, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on April 29.
The unification of technical standards for drones is among the key objectives for 2025, Hlib Kanievskyi, a procurement chief at the Defense Ministry, said.
The resignation of Havryliuk, who was in charge of procurement at the Defense Ministry, follows a scandal over the transparency of defense procurement.
"The opportunities offered by Ukraine to international partners include testing products in real combat conditions and developing long-term partnerships within joint ventures," Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Valerii Churkin said.
Equipped with a large-caliber machine gun, the robot is capable of conducting surveillance, patrolling, providing fire support to the Ukrainian military, and targeting Russian lightly armored vehicles, the Defense Ministry said.
The Military Medical Commission conducts medical examinations to determine fitness for military service.
Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies on April 2 announced charges in a corruption case involving overpriced food purchases by the Defense Ministry between 2022 and 2023.
The system was developed based on battlefield experience, optimizing its effectiveness against enemy vehicles and fortified positions, Ukraine's Defense Ministry said.
"We are grateful to our partners for responding to this critical need. Prompt response and flexibility in making this decision are important, especially now when the Defense Forces need them most," said Kateryna Chernohorenko, Deputy Defense Minister for Digitalization.
"We are preparing for Brussels," Zelensky said. According to the president, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is currently organizing the next meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group (UDCG).
Hnatov, who was formerly appointed as the deputy chief of the General Staff in February, will be replacing Anatolii Barhylevych, who took the role in February 2024.
Arsen Zhumadilov resigned from his position as chief of the State Rear Operator (DOT). Andrii Sozanskyi, DOT's executive director, replaced him as acting director.
An allied initiative, co-headed by the U.K. and Latvia, was launched in January 2024.
"These high-speed FPV drones are capable of chasing down any wheeled vehicles of the invaders," the Defense Ministry said.
Since the army recruitment centers began operation, 42,366 Ukrainians have applied, with the highest number of female candidates coming from western Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi, and Ternopil oblasts.
Ukraine's military has received over 10,000 applications from volunteer recruits aged 18 to 24 following the introduction of lucrative "special contracts," Defense Ministry Spokesperson Dmytro Lazutkin said on Ukrainian TV on Feb. 17.
The contract includes basic general military training, vocational training, and an adaptation course in an army unit. Volunteers will receive a one-time monetary aid payment of Hr 1 million ($24,000) and a monthly allowance of up to Hr 120,000 ($3,000).
The project aims to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian demining, test innovations, and share experiences between Ukrainian and international partners, the Defense Ministry's statement read.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) launched an investigation on Jan. 28.
"These decisions are part of a comprehensive approach to strengthening our Armed Forces, modernizing management, and advancing military technology," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said.
"We continue transforming the Ukrainian Armed Forces into a modern army with a technological advantage over the enemy," Rustem Umerov said.
"This does not bring tranquility but rather a moral belief that we will not be left empty-handed, of course, without the support of the United States," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the conflict between the Defense Ministry and the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) on Feb. 2 in an interview with the Associated Press (AP), commenting that the Defense Minister has the right to do everything to ensure that there is no slowdown in supplies.
The Ukrainian-made Hromylo unmanned aerial vehicle has been approved for military use, the Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 31.
The Defense Ministry cited several reasons for Maryna Bezrukova's removal, including alleged failure to fulfill planned deliveries for the front, poor procurement planning and delays, lack of timely communication with the General Staff, and leaks of classified information, which are reportedly expected to be investigated.
“Further delays threaten critically important supplies to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and destroy the trust of donors and partners,” Bezrukova said.
Maryna Bezrukova has overturned the decision to remove her name from the state enterprise register as director of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA), the agency said on Jan. 30.
Olha Stefanishyna added that such "aggressive public communication" does not beneficial inside or outside Ukraine.
Proceedings against Rustem Umerov opened at the request of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, NABU said.
Key developments on Jan. 28: * Putin claims Zelensky doesn't have a right to sign any potential peace deal * 'Pure propaganda' — Kharkiv Oblast governor denies Russian claims of capturing Dvorichna * Italian parliament extends military support for Ukraine through 2025 * SBU says it dismantled Russian spy network targeting F-16 jets * Government dismisses
Editor’s note: This is issue 11 of Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak’s weekly "Ukraine Reforms Tracker" covering events from Jan. 13–19, 2025. This newsletter was until recently titled “Ukrainian Economy in Brief." The digest highlights steps taken in the Ukrainian parliament related to business, economics, and international financial
The decision follows ongoing tensions within the Defense Ministry over its weapons procurement process, which has been heavily scrutinized amid reform efforts.
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