War

Ukraine's PM announces major audit of Defense Ministry needs

2 min read
Ukraine's PM announces major audit of Defense Ministry needs
Serhii Koretskyi, head of Naftogaz, during a briefing with members of the Cabinet in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 5, 2026. (Andrew Kravchenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

Ukraine will conduct a large-scale audit of its Defense Ministry's needs and divert savings made in other government departments through austerity measures, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said on Sept. 1.

"The government is also implementing strict austerity measures on budget funds not earmarked for defense needs," he said in a speech in the Ukrainian parliament.

"As a result, we have already identified Hr 70 billion ($1.75 billion) in savings, all of which will be directed toward defense needs."

Koretskyi said the move was necessary as the defense against Russia's full-scale invasion is becoming significantly more expensive.

Despite an EU loan of 90 billion euros ($105 billion), Kyiv is estimated to be 45 billion euros ($53 billion) short of what it needs by the end of 2027.

The Kiel Institute, which has been tracking support provided to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, has recorded a slowdown in contributions from international allies, even as the EU significantly increased its assistance.

For each tranche of the 90 billion-euro loan, which will be disbursed gradually through 2026 and 2027, the EU and Ukraine have agreed on conditions that Kyiv must meet to receive the cash, some of which will not be popular.

Avatar
Chris York

War editor

Chris York is war editor at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, he was head of news at the Kyiv Post. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds.

Read more
News Feed

"Over these two years, our defense industry has become a strategic sector within the country and has begun to integrate into the defense industrial architecture of Europe and the United States. I thank the President for the trust and the opportunity to be of service," former adviser Oleksandr Kamyshin said.

Show More
Ukraine's PM announces major audit of Defense Ministry needs