On April 22, 2024, the Defense Procurement Agency of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense finalized contracts for the acquisition of 4,000 Chinese drones, comprising 3,000 DJI Mavic 3E and 1,000 DJI Mavic 3T unmanned aerial systems. Valued at 575.2 million Ukrainian hryvnias (approximately $14.478.456,98), these acquisitions are part of Ukraine’s broader objective to acquire a total of 20,000 DJI drones through the Prozorro platform.
Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Dmytro Klimenkov, highlighted the importance of drones in modern warfare, noting their potential to enhance the speed, accuracy, and flexibility of the armed forces. He also noted the necessity of integrating these technologies with existing military strategies to strengthen national defense.
The contracts were awarded after a competitive bidding process on the Prozorro platform, which involved multiple suppliers, aiming to secure favorable prices for the state. Maryna Bezrukova, Director of the Defense Procurement Agency, noted the significance of competition in driving down costs, citing the participation of multiple suppliers in auctions. The specific contract prices were UAH 126.9 thousand ($3,194.22) for each DJI Mavic 3E and UAH 194.2 thousand ($4,888.24) for each DJI Mavic 3T, each inclusive of three additional batteries and a charger.
Delivery of the initial batches of these drones has already begun, with distribution to military units currently underway. Furthermore, efforts to procure an additional 6,000 drones are ongoing within the Prozorro system, comprising a total of 4,500 Mavic 3E systems and 1,500 Mavic 3T systems. This procurement marks the first instance of the Ministry of Defense acquiring DJI Mavic 3 drones for military use, reflecting an ongoing strategy to enhance the country’s defense capabilities through the Ukrainian Prozorro procurement platform.