Providing the Armed Forces of Ukraine with body armor. Ihor Khmuriy announced a new investigation.

In 2024, journalist Ihor Khmuriy and the 'StopCor' team conducted research on the disruption of body armor supplies for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was a difficult investigation that included market analysis, communication with representatives, and emotional experiences. The results showed that the issue of supplying the army remains relevant. During the ATO, protective equipment for the Armed Forces was limited. Initially, only 1,213 body armor sets were provided to soldiers. Later, their number increased to 14,000, but this was still insufficient.

After the invasion in 2022, the situation became even worse. Ukrainian manufacturers produced only 3-5 thousand body armor sets per month, which proved inadequate for the army's needs. During this period, volunteers purchased protective gear abroad, while state procurement was marred by errors and corruption scandals. There were also issues with outdated standards, such as remnants of metal plates without proper sizing.

Despite all the difficulties, Ukrainian manufacturers managed to adapt and began producing ceramic plates. In 2024, most of the body armor for the Armed Forces was domestic. The Ministry of Defense transformed the 'Defense Procurement Agency', which was ineffective, into the 'State Logistics Operator', which was supposed to carry out centralized procurement. The budget for body armor increased to 6-7 billion UAH and was meant to turn into over 200 thousand new sets. However, the new centralized system led to scandals, unclear tenders, and selective support of certain manufacturers. As a result, the army received only half of the planned body armor, and the customer attempted to import goods again. Trade was also accompanied by intermediaries and rewritten tenders.

Ihor Khmuriy's Special Project

In his new special project 'Who Disrupted the Procurement of Body Armor for the Armed Forces of Ukraine?', the 'StopCor' team presents exclusive evidence and tells step by step how the localization of body armor production in Ukraine turned into a struggle for money rather than for the protection of the army.