1,000 drones delivered to the frontline in less than two weeks thanks to DOT-Chain Defence

Troops operating on the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Kherson fronts have already received the first thousand FPV drones ordered through the DOT-Chain Defence weapons marketplace. The delivery time from placing an order in the system to receiving the drones was less than two weeks — more than four times faster than the standard procurement procedure.

In total, during the first two weeks of the DOT-Chain Defence IT system’s operation, the military placed 43 orders for nearly 7,000 drones (both FPV and bomber types) worth almost UAH 245 million.

“We are already seeing the first results of DOT-Chain Defence — drones ordered through the marketplace have already arrived at the units. The fastest delivery from order to receipt took just six days. Every day we cut from the moment of request to delivery at the frontline means saved lives and faster adaptation to changes on the battlefield,” said Defence Procurement Agency Director Arsen Zhumadilov.

Currently, the DOT-Chain Defence weapons marketplace operates in pilot mode. Twelve brigades engaged in the most intense combat zones are taking part. The first orders were placed on July 31.

“After the first introduction to the system, skepticism turned into interest and support. It really removes unnecessary bureaucracy from combat units and allows them to quickly get what they need — exactly when they need it,” said Oleg, call sign Patriot, from the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade Kholodnyi Yar, who is responsible for working with DOT-Chain Defence in his unit.

To ensure a smooth launch, the Defence Procurement Agency and the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition conducted special training for the units. The first stage was an online introduction to the system’s features; the second involved on-site visits directly to the combat zone, where soldiers were assisted in placing their first orders.

“Such visits will become regular. They are part of the Defence Procurement Agency’s broader strategy for systematic engagement with military feedback. This will allow the Agency to promptly adapt the system to the real needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” emphasized Arsen Zhumadilov.

The DOT-Chain Defence IT system was developed by the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition (DOT) and is used by the Defence Procurement Agency to efficiently and directly supply weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It functions as a marketplace, where soldiers use DPA funds to independently choose the types and quantities of drones they need. The IT system is currently operating in pilot mode, offering only FPV drones. After testing is complete, DOT-Chain Defence will be scaled to other Armed Forces units and expanded to include additional equipment — electronic warfare (EW) and signals intelligence (SIGINT) systems, MLRS, other types of UAVs, as well as drone munitions drops for them.