Earlier this year, audits reviewed how Ukraine's military spent money on weapons and ammunition for the war against Russia. The confidential reviews by the State Audit Service and Ministry of Defense auditing department cover 2024 and 2025, offering a granular picture of procurement failures. Ukrainian military procurement is notoriously corrupt and mismanaged.

Auditors found persistent patterns of overpaying for weapons, cutting deals with intermediaries rather than directly with manufacturers, and awarding contracts to companies that have already failed to deliver or been charged with corruption. The Defense Procurement Agency declined to comment. Tamerlan Vahabov, a former adviser to the agency, stated that overspending and waste have real consequences: "As a result, we don't have money to order more weapons," he said. "And we don't have the quantity of ammunition we need.

And it is a recurring pattern." Auditors found repeated examples of inflated prices. A 2024 report by the State Audit Service criticized the country's dealings with arms traders, who typically charge a markup of at least 3 percent. A large majority of purchases were made through these intermediaries, driving up prices and enriching companies.

Despite the critique, another audit in early 2025 found multiple lucrative contracts with traders even when weapons could be obtained cheaper directly from manufacturers. Of the top 10 contractors for Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, seven won new business despite defaulting on earlier contracts or having senior management under criminal investigation. One contractor received new business while out on bail in a corruption case.

The auditors found Ukraine's weapons purchasers signed deals with 18 companies that had a history of defaulting on agreements. Six of these had failed to fulfill a single contract, yet the agency continually signed new contracts with them. One company failed to deliver any of the 600 specialized drones it promised, then won a new contract for 1,950 more.

Of these, the company delivered only 50 units on time. Former officials and experts say corruption is to blame for much of the mismanagement and overspending. Companies won contracts without proving they could deliver.

The military bought weapons without proof they had been tested. One rocket exploded in a launch tube and severely damaged a Ukrainian Mi-8 helicopter during a combat operation, triggering a criminal investigation by the domestic intelligence agency.