The DOT-Chain Defence weapons marketplace, deployed by the DOT Defence Procurement Agency under the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, has crossed the mark of 500 connected Defence Forces units. Through the digital platform, military units independently select and order the equipment they need in line with their combat requirements, bypassing the traditional multi-stage approval chains. This was reported by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, with the information confirmed by RBC-Ukraine and a number of other Ukrainian media outlets.
Who has gained access to the marketplace
Units of the "Drone Line" project and individual assault regiments have joined the system and can now also independently order unmanned systems through DOT-Chain Defence in accordance with their combat needs. The marketplace's users are units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard, the State Border Service, the National Police, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) and the State Special Communications Service (GSST) that are directly involved in combat operations. As a result, the platform covers virtually all law-enforcement and security structures deployed in the combat zone.
Scaling: from 12 brigades to 500 units
Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Defence Mykhailo Banik emphasized that the ministry is keen for as many units as possible to be able to select their weapons independently. In his words, this model gives the military greater autonomy, control over their supply, and the ability to plan their own operations. A year ago, that is, at the start of 2025, DOT-Chain Defence was available to only 12 Ukrainian Armed Forces brigades. Over the following months the marketplace was scaled up to most of the components of the defence forces, since the model allows needs to be met faster at the unit level rather than through centralized procurement cycles.
The numbers: 1.3 million drones and 85 billion hryvnias in one year of operation
In over a year of operation, the Defence Forces have received more than 1.3 million drones and other items worth a total of 85 billion hryvnias through DOT-Chain Defence — both directly via the marketplace and under the "Drone Army. Bonus" program. Units are connected to the marketplace under three budget programs: DOT-Chain Defence itself, the "Drone Army. Bonus" program, and a program funded by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The platform's assortment covers nearly 1,200 items from 300 manufacturers, giving units a wide choice of weapons and equipment.
Open installation in Kyiv and public demonstration
Earlier, an interactive installation was opened in Kyiv that for the first time allowed civilian visitors to try out the logic of the closed DOT-Chain Defence marketplace — without the ability to place a real order. By the time the exhibition opened, the platform was already being used by 500 units. The demonstration became part of an information campaign aimed at explaining how the system works and drawing attention to the digitalization of defence procurement.
Contradictory data
No significant discrepancies in the key figures were found in the provided sources: all outlets cite data from the Ministry of Defence and refer to the same parameters — over 500 units, 1.3 million pieces of equipment, and 85 billion UAH. The only minor difference concerns the wording: some sources write "over 500 units" while others write "500 units," which may be explained by the point in time at which the data was recorded. In essence, the issue is about crossing the threshold of 500 formations, and both variants reflect the same fact.
Thus, DOT-Chain Defence has evolved from a pilot project for a limited number of brigades into an infrastructural element of the Ukrainian Defence Forces' supply system, enabling decentralized procurement at the level of combat units and accelerating the delivery of weapons directly into the combat zone.
