---
title: "\"General Chereshnya\" claims 677,000 drones are blocked due to lack of regulatory framework: company challenges procurement procedure"
description: "\"General Chereshnya\" claims that the lack of a regulatory framework is blocking contracts for 677,000 drones. The company is challenging the procurement procedure through court and NABU, while volunteer Sternenko accuses it of trying to disrupt the supply."
date: 2026-10-20T12:51:41.404Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/general-chereshnya-contract-blockade-drones-procurement
tags: [ukraine, drones, fpv-drones, procurement, defense-industry, fiber-optic-drones, general-chereshnya, military-contracts]
author: "Darya Fomina"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "General Chereshnya" claims 677,000 drones are blocked due to lack of regulatory framework: company challenges procurement procedure

![Booth of Ukrainian drone manufacturer General Chereshnya featuring UAV exhibits and a neon sign](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/20/general-chereshnya-blokada-kontraktov-drony-zakupki/general-chereshnya-blokada-kontraktov-drony-zakupki-1.webp)

## Key Points

- "General Chereshnya" cannot conclude 4 contracts for 31,000 fiber-optic drones due to the lack of regulatory documents
- According to the company, supplies of 677,000 UAVs from various manufacturers are blocked
- The manufacturer is challenging the procedure through court, NABU, NACP, and consultations with the European Commission
- Volunteer Serhii Sternenko accuses the company of trying to block procurement through lawsuits
- In 2026, the DPA contracted 300% more UAVs than the previous year

Ukrainian drone manufacturer "General Chereshnya" has publicly stated that it cannot conclude four contracts for the supply of fiber-optic drones, in which it won a competitive procedure conducted by the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA DOT) and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. According to the company's estimates, the lack of regulatory legal documents governing the procedure for so-called competitive procurements has blocked the supply of 677,000 drones of various manufacturers utilizing radio and fiber-optic communications. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing a statement from the manufacturer.

### Four lots for 31,000 units and the absence of a legal basis

"General Chereshnya" specifies that the matter concerns four won lots for the supply of fiber-optic drones with a total volume of 31,000 units. Company representatives emphasize that they do not have a single regulatory legal document that would determine the procedure for procurement, contract conclusion, and subsequent product delivery. "We cannot conclude contracts simply because there is not a single regulatory legal document that would allow us to do so," the company stated. Due to procedural uncertainty, the manufacturer has no understanding of delivery timelines, even though, according to them, the drones should already be at the front lines.

### "Fruits of the poisonous tree": the company challenges the procedure itself

"General Chereshnya" insists that the conducted procedure cannot be considered a full-fledged tender. In the manufacturer's opinion, surveying a limited circle of suppliers via email without a public announcement, electronic auction, and transparent determination of winners does not ensure proper procurement openness. "All further actions with this 'tender' are the fruits of the poisonous tree," the company stated, calling for the cancellation of the current procedure and the introduction of a transparent procurement mechanism accessible to all market participants. The manufacturer also emphasizes that supplies are blocked for all manufacturers in general, not just its own company.

### Lawsuits, NABU, and an appeal to the European Commission

The company announced that it continues to challenge the procedure in various ways: filing lawsuits, applying to the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), and consulting with international partners, in particular representatives of the European Commission. "General Chereshnya" claims it has already received signals from anti-corruption bodies regarding the verification of the procedure, though it does not specify which actions by the bodies are meant or what decisions have been made following the checks. The manufacturer urges an immediate review of the approach to drone procurement and a transition to a procedure with clear regulatory oversight, transparent rules, and defined timelines for contract conclusion and execution.

### Opposing assessment: volunteer accuses the company of trying to block procurement

At the same time, well-known volunteer Serhii Sternenko criticized the position of "General Chereshnya". According to him, new technical requirements for procurements were formed with the participation of the military, the General Staff, experts, and manufacturers; they became stricter due to technological development and changing front-line needs, yet virtually all manufacturers called them high but acceptable. Sternenko claims that "General Chereshnya", through lawsuits, is trying to block a large-scale procurement of fiber-optic FPV drones and is promoting its position through anonymous Telegram channels. "In fact, the commercial interests of a single manufacturer are now putting a large-scale drone procurement for the front lines at risk," he stated. The volunteer also reported that his foundation has received numerous complaints from the military regarding FPV drones produced by "General Chereshnya", including claims about motor installation, the use of outdated frequencies, and the labeling of thermal imaging cameras.

### Context: record volumes of UAV contracting in 2026

Recall that earlier the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that in 2026 the Defense Procurement Agency contracted 300% more UAVs than in the previous year. In recent months, the volume of contracting for various types of drones has increased by approximately 5.5 times compared to the same period in 2025, and FPV drone contracting has already exceeded the figure for the entire year of 2025 by 54%. Against this background, the dispute over the procurement procedure acquires additional significance: the timelines and volumes of drone supplies, which both sides assess as necessary for the needs of the Defense Forces, depend on its outcome.

## Accounts differ

### Reason for the impossibility of concluding contracts for fiber-optic drones

- **"General Chereshnya" company:** Contracts cannot be concluded due to the lack of a regulatory legal document governing competitive procurements; the procedure was conducted without a public announcement and electronic auction and is not a full-fledged tender; supplies of 677,000 drones are blocked ([rbc.ua](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/general-chereshnya-zayavlyae-blokuvannya-1792500265.html))
- **Volunteer Serhii Sternenko:** Technical requirements for procurements were formed with the participation of the military and the General Staff and are high but acceptable to virtually all manufacturers; "General Chereshnya" is trying to block a large-scale procurement of fiber-optic FPV drones through lawsuits ([delo.ua](https://delo.ua/ru/oboronna-industriya/izvestnyi-volonter-raskritikoval-drony-kompanii-general-ceresnya-471651/))

*Where they agree:* Contracts for the supply of fiber-optic drones have not been concluded; both sides acknowledge that drones are necessary for the front lines and that the procurement procedure is in a legal dispute stage

## Fact-Check & Sources

- ["Генерал Черешня" заявляет о блокировании контрактов на 677 тысяч БПЛА: кто виноват](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/general-chereshnya-zayavlyae-blokuvannya-1792500265.html) - Первоисточник: заявление компании о невозможности заключения 4 контрактов, оценка в 677 тыс. дронов, судебные иски, обращения в НАБУ/НАПК, консультации с ЕК. Все цитаты и цифры взяты из этого источника.
- [Известный волонтер раскритиковал дроны компании "Генерал Черешня"](https://delo.ua/ru/oboronna-industriya/izvestnyi-volonter-raskritikoval-drony-kompanii-general-ceresnya-471651/) - Противоположная позиция: Стерненко утверждает, что компания блокирует закупку через суд, технические требования приемлемы для большинства производителей, есть жалобы военных на качество дронов.

## FAQ

### How many drones exactly are blocked, according to "General Chereshnya"?

The company estimates the total volume of blocked supplies at 677,000 drones from various manufacturers. Of these, 31,000 units directly belong to the company across four won lots for fiber-optic UAVs.

### What, in the manufacturer's opinion, is the problem with procurements?

„General Chereshnya“ claims there is no regulatory legal document governing the procedure for competitive procurements, contract conclusion, and delivery. The company believes that surveying via email without a public announcement and electronic auction does not constitute a full-fledged tender.

### What actions is the company taking to challenge the procedure?

The manufacturer is filing lawsuits, appealing to the NACP and NABU, and consulting with representatives of the European Commission. The company states it has received signals from anti-corruption bodies about checking the procedure.

### What is the opposing viewpoint?

Volunteer Serhii Sternenko claims that the technical requirements for procurements were formed with the participation of the military and the General Staff and are acceptable to most manufacturers. According to him, "General Chereshnya" is using lawsuits to block large-scale procurement and is promoting its position through anonymous Telegram channels.

### What UAV contracting volumes were recorded in 2026?

According to the Ministry of Defense, in 2026 the DPA contracted 300% more UAVs than in the previous year. The volume of contracting increased 5.5 times compared to the same period in 2025, and FPV drone contracting exceeded the 2025 full-year figure by 54%.