Greater than every week after it started, a standoff between Ukraine’s protection minister and the official overseeing weapons procurement stays unresolved and is starting to disrupt arms contracts, Ukrainian protection corporations say.
Ukraine’s arms trade commerce group has said that greater than 80 protection corporations, accounting for a couple of third of final 12 months’s provides to the military, “are unable to obtain fee for accomplished orders and signal new contracts.” In a single such case, a contract to provide 155-millimeter artillery rounds, a caliber utilized in many subject weapons, has been placed on maintain, the producer of the ammunition mentioned.
The standoff is unlikely to have a right away impact on arms provides to Ukrainian troops, the businesses mentioned, as present deliveries are drawn from earlier contracts. But when it persists, it might jeopardize provides within the months forward at a crucial time for the Ukrainian Military, which is already struggling to comprise Russia’s advance on the battlefield.
On the root of the problem is a tense showdown over the leadership of Ukraine’s defense procurement agency, which had a price range of over $7 billion final 12 months. The protection minister, Rustem Umerov, lately dismissed the company’s director, Maryna Bezrukova, citing “poor procurement planning” and delayed provides to the entrance line, and appointed an appearing head.
Ms. Bezrukova has denied the claims of mismanagement and mentioned her dismissal was unlawful, as a result of her contract was prolonged by the company’s supervisory board. She mentioned on Monday that she wouldn’t resign.
The standoff has escalated to the purpose the place each Ms. Bezrukova and the brand new appearing head, Arsen Zhumadilov, have been working from the company’s headquarters in latest days, together with Monday, leaving worldwide companions and protection corporations confused about who was liable for signing contracts.
“The traditional day-to-day work of the protection procurement company is simply blocked,” Serhiy Honcharov, head of the Nationwide Affiliation of Ukrainian Protection Industries, mentioned in an interview. “Who is definitely in cost? Nobody is aware of. On this chaos, it’s not possible to signal contracts.”
Serhiy Bulavko, the top of the procurement management division on the protection ministry, informed reporters on Friday that there have been “no disruptions in weapons provides” as of now and that “contracting is underway.”
The tumult in Ukraine’s protection sector additionally dangers derailing Kyiv’s efforts to persuade its allies, particularly President Trump, to keep up assist for its struggle in opposition to Russia. A key a part of these efforts was a brand new mechanism to fund Ukrainian weapon manufacturing with Western cash by means of the company, as an alternative choice to direct arms provides.
Final 12 months, half a billion {dollars}’ value of weapons were produced by means of this mechanism. Kyiv goals to double that quantity this 12 months.
The company was established final 12 months in an effort to curb corruption within the procurement course of — a transfer that was applauded by Ukraine’s Western companions. It buys weapons from each international and home producers.
Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s minister for European integration and justice, complained final week that the standoff was sending the improper message to Kyiv’s companions. She told the Ukrainian media outlet Suspilne that NATO members had raised questions concerning the challenge in non-public conferences. “Such aggressive public communication doesn’t assist Ukraine, inside and out of doors,” she mentioned.
Mr. Umerov sought to dismiss Ms. Bezrukova by declining to increase her contract as head of the company. The transfer has sparked some requires his resignation. However he seems unlikely to step down after President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced assist for him in an interview with The Related Press launched Sunday.
“The protection minister has the suitable to do all the pieces mandatory to stop any delays in provides,” Mr. Zelensky mentioned.
Vladyslav Belbas, the top of Ukrainian Armor Design and Manufacturing Co., a personal Ukrainian arms firm, mentioned a contract to provide 155-millimeter artillery rounds that was slated to be signed by late January had been placed on maintain due to the dispute. Ms. Bezrukova confirmed that the contract had not been signed.
“That impacts our manufacturing capabilities. As a result of if we don’t know what’s taking place, how can I scale the manufacturing or how can I least plan for the manufacturing?” Mr. Belbas mentioned in a cellphone interview.
