Ukraine’s New Defense Marketplace Hits 17,000 Drone Orders From Frontlines in First Two Months

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence confirmed that frontline troops have ordered nearly 17,000 unmanned aerial systems (UAS) through its new DOT-Chain Defence system, with about 13,000 already delivered.

Placed in the system’s first two months of use, the orders are valued at about 600 million hryvnia ($14.5 million), including 443 million hryvnia ($10.7 million) worth of drones now in service.

The ministry said deliveries now average 10 days, with some completed in as few as five, compared to months under older procurement methods.

The program currently serves 12 brigades in key battleground regions amid the Russian invasion, including Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, and Kherson.

The DOT-Chain Defence

DOT-Chain Defence functions as a digital marketplace where brigades request drones directly, while the Ukrainian defense procurement agency manages contracts and payments.

Officials said the system streamlines orders, limits bureaucracy, and gives units greater influence over the equipment they receive.

Alongside the platform, Kyiv has distributed more than 23,000 UAS under the Drone Army Bonus program, which relies on contributions from private suppliers and volunteers.

Expansion

The defense ministry plans to scale DOT-Chain Defence across the armed forces, expand its manufacturer base, and launch a “Drone Designer” tool so units can request modifications. 

Officials aim to meet 70 percent of Ukraine’s UAS demand through the capability within six months.

DOT-Chain Defence was first inaugurated in September 2024 as a logistics platform to digitize supply requests and paperwork, initially reducing delivery times from about two months to 15 days.

An update unveiled in September 2025 is set to include interceptor drones and warheads permanently in the system starting in 2026.