Official End of Mandate

On August 31, Arsen Zhumadilov, by mutual agreement of the parties, ceased to perform the duties of director of the Defense Procurement Agency (in the agency's own materials and in the media, the agency is also referred to by the abbreviation DOT). According to reports, this was announced by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, which confirmed the fact that the head had finished serving in this position. The ministry emphasized that a decision on appointing a new head of the agency would be made within the shortest possible time, and that the sustainable provision of the Defense Forces remains one of the key priorities of the Ministry of Defense.

Three Years at the Head of the Agency

According to the Ministry of Defense, during the three years of Zhumadilov's leadership, the agency met the needs of the country's defense forces. This period coincided with a large-scale restructuring of the state defense procurement system and attempts to build transparent mechanisms for supplying the army. The formal end of the director's mandate means the agency is moving into a temporary management mode until a permanent head is appointed.

Timeline of the Departure: From Announcement to Formal Conclusion

The media wrote about the preparation for Zhumadilov's departure as early as August 20: at the time, he announced this at a press conference, clarifying that Oleh Klets — the former head of "Medical Procurements of Ukraine" — would temporarily perform the duties of the agency's director. Before that, sources in the defense sector had reported on the possible resignation of the head. Thus, about ten days passed between the public announcement and the official end of the mandate, during which the agency operated in a transitional mode.

Background: The Situation with TTC Tenders

Zhumadilov's departure was preceded by a tense situation around tenders for weapons based on tactical and technical characteristics (TTC). According to reports, it was precisely this issue that caused concern in the defense sector: if the existing dynamics were maintained, a shortage of weapons for the army could arise within a few months. Against this backdrop, the change in the agency's leadership is perceived as an attempt to revise procurement approaches and eliminate the accumulated risks.

Contradictory Data

A difference in wording can be traced between the official line and the early journalistic framing of the event. The Ministry of Defense characterizes the departure as a termination of duties "by mutual agreement of the parties," that is, as a voluntary and mutually agreed decision. At the same time, earlier publications described the process as "preparation for dismissal," and sources in the sector spoke of a possible resignation against the backdrop of the scandal over TTC tenders. Thus, one side emphasizes the voluntary and contractual nature of the decision, while the other links the departure to a professional conflict over procurements. In addition, in different sources the agency is denoted by inconsistent abbreviations (DPA, DOT, and in one headline — "DPA GOT"), which creates additional confusion in the terminology, although the same agency is meant.

What Comes Next: Appointment of a New Head

The Ministry of Defense stated that a new director of the Defense Procurement Agency would be appointed within the shortest possible time, and again identified the sustainable provision of the Defense Forces as a priority. Until the formal appointment, under the previously announced scheme, the duties of the head are temporarily performed by Oleh Klets. For the defense sector, the key question becomes whether the new head will be able to quickly establish procurement processes and eliminate the risks of a weapons shortage that were discussed against the backdrop of the situation with TTC tenders.