Ukroboronprom and Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KDA) have agreed to cooperate on strengthening Ukraine’s air defence capabilities. The partnership envisages integrating current and next-generation Ukrainian short- and medium-range air defence systems into the NASAMS infrastructure. In particular, Ukrainian developments will be linked with Norwegian command-and-control modules, ensuring interoperability between national and allied technologies. Earlier, representatives of KDA held preliminary talks with their Ukrainian counterparts and assessed the production and scientific-technical potential of Ukrainian enterprises. “The development and scaling of our air and missile defence systems is one of Ukroboronprom’s key priorities. Together with our Norwegian partners, we are taking another step toward building a strong aerial shield to reliably protect strategic sites and civilian infrastructure. I am confident that cooperation with KDA will become another example of effective international partnership,” — said Oleh Huliak, CEO of JSC ‘Ukrainian Defence Industry’.

The Ukroboronprom Veterans Reintegration Center is conducting training sessions on ethical communication and interaction with veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war for managers at all levels. Nearly 400 employees from 20 enterprises of the Company have already taken part in the program. The training covers the overall situation of veterans employed in Ukraine’s state defence sector, common stereotypes and ways to overcome them, as well as the impact of PTSD and concussions on everyday life and work. Special attention is given to crisis-simulation exercises, analysis of real-life cases, and discussion of phrases or expressions that should be avoided when communicating with veterans. The program will run for a year and include all economically active enterprises of the Company. “Ethical communication with veterans must be based on equality and respect. First and foremost, you are speaking to a person — so be open, call things by their names, avoid ambiguity, and forget imposed clichés. We are grateful to everyone participating in the training for their compassion, involvement, and genuine desire to help former service members reintegrate into civilian life,” — said Larysa Kadura, Acting Head of the Ukroboronprom Veterans Reintegration Center. The Center was established on March 12, 2024, within the Company’s structure. In June 2025, Ukroboronprom also joined the implementation of the Principles of a Veteran-Friendly Business, reaffirming its commitment to supporting those who defended Ukraine.

Joint Stock Company “Ukrainian Defence Industry” and Airbus have signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Cooperation during the Paris Air Show – Le Bourget, marking the start of a new stage in Ukraine’s aviation partnership with Europe. The agreement outlines initial steps to develop maintenance and repair capabilities for Airbus aircraft operated in Ukraine, as well as to provide Ukroboronprom specialists with the necessary technical training and certification. As part of the initiative, Airbus experts are expected to visit Ukraine to form local training groups, share maintenance technologies and documentation, and support the process of certifying Ukrainian professionals as qualified instructors. “Global high-tech companies increasingly trust Ukraine’s defence industry — including Ukroboronprom and its enterprises. This demonstrates that we have chosen the right path for growth and international cooperation. I am confident that more promising partnerships lie ahead, not only in aviation but across all areas of our work,” — said Oleh Huliak, CEO of JSC «Ukrainian Defence Industry».

Compliance officers and anti-corruption officials from Ukroboronprom enterprises took part in a specialized training seminar aimed at strengthening the culture of integrity and accelerating the implementation of international anti-corruption standards across Ukraine’s defence sector. The event was organized by the Basel Institute on Governancetogether with the Compliance and Risk Management Department of JSC “Ukrainian Defence Industry.” The program focused on practical tools for implementing anti-corruption policies and procedures, aligning Ukrainian legislation with global principles of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct. Participants worked through real-life case studies, analyzed corruption risk assessment methods, and discussed tailored mitigation strategies for the defence industry context. The training also explored the evolution of ethical concepts, approaches to bias awareness, and ethical decision-making models. Participants reviewed the rights and protections of whistleblowers, distinctions between their legal statuses, and liability for violations of these rights. Group exercises simulated practical situations — such as acquiring whistleblower status, differentiating between corrupt and non-corrupt misconduct, and handling sensitive disclosures. A separate module covered psychological aspects of supporting whistleblowers, the design of confidential reporting channels, and challenges faced by those who report wrongdoing. Interactive workshops and panel discussions encouraged experience-sharing and helped define the next steps to enhance compliance expertise across Ukroboronprom enterprises. The event also reaffirmed the importance of cooperation with international partners to align the Company’s governance practices with global standards. “We remain committed to the highest standards of integrity and intend to deepen collaboration with leading international experts to strengthen our anti-corruption practices and further integrate our Company into the NATO defence industry framework,” — said Maksym Fedorenko, Director of the Compliance and Risk Management Department at JSC «Ukrainian Defence Industry».

Antonov Airlines, currently operating abroad, have received a prestigious award from The Heavy Lift Group (THLG)for their outstanding contribution to the global market of super-heavy and oversized cargo transportation. The award was presented during the international THLG conference, of which Antonov Airlines is an active member. The THLG Award recognizes exceptional achievements in the transportation of outsized and heavy cargo, honoring companies that demonstrate excellence, innovation, and reliability in handling complex logistics challenges. This high recognition reaffirms the global influence and leadership of the Antonov Airlines brand, as well as its proven ability to perform at the highest international standards. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the airline — part of JSC “Antonov” — has completed over 260 flights, delivering civilian and military cargo. These missions have included the transport of weapons, military equipment, and other critical supplies that have supported Ukraine’s Defence Forces in both saving lives and ensuring battlefield success. The Heavy Lift Group (THLG) is an international network of companies specializing in heavy and oversized cargo transport, united by the goal of providing clients with the highest-quality expertise and logistics solutions tailored to their needs.

The Joint Stock Company “Ukrainian Defense Industry” has joined the implementation of the Veteran- and Veteran-Women-Friendly Business Principles. The document was signed during an event organized by the Ministry for Strategic Industries and the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine. These Principles aim to unite leading Ukrainian defense companies around creating an inclusive and supportive environment for veterans and veteran women — an important step toward sustainable business development through social responsibility. “Our defenders are invaluable veterans. We need your experience and professional expertise to assess the effectiveness of our weapons and find ways to improve them. We are preparing our defense enterprises to ensure that veterans feel comfortable working there. HR specialists at state enterprises regularly undergo special training on veteran employment. By the end of April, such training had been conducted at 10 enterprises for more than 200 managers of various levels. Signing the Veteran- and Veteran-Women-Friendly Business Principles is part of our ongoing commitment. This document unites Ukraine’s defense companies in their shared goal to invite veterans into their teams and create decent working conditions for them,” — said Herman Smetanin, Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine. “We strive to ensure that our veterans not only return to civilian life but can also apply their unique experience in the development and production of weapons and military equipment for Ukraine’s Defense Forces. The defense industry allows former servicemen and servicewomen to continue feeling their contribution to the protection of our country,” — stated Oleh Huliak, Director General of Ukroboronprom. The Veteran- and Veteran-Women-Friendly Business Principles were developed by Starlight Media with expert support from Veteran Hub, in collaboration with Forbes Ukraine and with the support of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. They include: Support at the highest company level; Fair and non-discriminatory recruitment and reintegration practices; Building a friendly and inclusive corporate culture; Access to quality physical and psychological health programs and rehabilitation support; Consideration of gender-specific needs; Development of inclusive workspaces, services, and products; Support for families of veterans, veteran women, as well as families of the fallen and missing; Support for veteran-owned businesses; Cooperation with veteran communities and NGOs. It is worth noting that the Ukrainian Defense Industry JSC and its enterprises are implementing a comprehensive veteran reintegration program, which provides multifaceted support, promotes inclusion, and creates opportunities for retraining and professional development.

The Ukroboronprom team held a working meeting with the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Lithuania, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to Ukraine, Inga Stanite-Tolochkėnė, and their colleagues. The event took place with the participation of Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industries, Herman Smetanin. Meeting participants discussed the progress of current joint projects and promising directions for future cooperation. They also addressed the growing capabilities of the Ukrainian defence industry and the development of long-range precision strike systems. The parties noted the need to strengthen interaction and increase the effectiveness of the partnership. “The Ukrainian defence-industrial complex is gradually integrating into the European defence-industrial base, and I thank our Lithuanian partners for their assistance in this process. Cooperation with Ukrainian defence enterprises is mutually beneficial, as we share our own expertise and lessons learned with our allies. As a result, such collaboration will strengthen the defence capabilities of both our countries,” said Minister for Strategic Industries Herman Smetanin. “We are grateful to the government and people of Lithuania for their support of Ukraine in the war of liberation against Russian invaders. Our cooperation with Lithuanian colleagues is substantive and productive, helping to increase the competitiveness of Ukrainian weapons,” said Oleg Hulyak, CEO of the Joint Stock Company “Ukrainian Defence Industry.” Recall that at the beginning of 2024 Ukroboronprom began partnerships with four Lithuanian companies: NT Service, Brolis Semiconductors, RSI Europe and DMEXS. They specialize in UAVs, the development of sights (including thermal imaging), modern remote detonation systems, electronic warfare means, communications, and more.

The Supervisory Board of the Joint Stock Company «Ukrainian Defense Industry» has appointed Oleg Gulyak as a new Director General of the company.   This follows a search and assessment of candidates by the Ukrainian office of Odgers Berndtson, an international executive search firm. More than 20 people applied for the CEO position at UDI, and three candidates were shortlisted. The Supervisory Board held a final interview with them and decided on the candidate. Representatives of the US, UK and German embassies took part in the interviews with the shortlisted candidates. “Oleg Gulyak understands the urgent needs of the army and is an experienced leader. The main tasks he now faces are to further increase production volumes, complete the reform of the state defence industry and build an effective anti-corruption infrastructure”, said Herman Smetanin, Minister of Strategic Industries.   “It is extremely important for us that the largest state defence company is headed by a person with experience in the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and as the head of logistics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He is a professional who knows exactly what the Ukrainian Armed Forces need. He is a true leader: proactive, responsible and effective. That is why we have decided to appoint Oleg Gulyak as CEO of the company. I am grateful to our partners at Odgers Berndtson for the quality of their work and to the other candidates for taking part in the competition”, said David Lomjaria, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of UDI. “I am grateful for the trust placed in me to lead Ukrainian Defense Industry. Our work is crucial to achieving victory over the enemy. There is a lot of work, important tasks and new challenges ahead. However, I am confident that together with our team we will achieve the necessary results”, said CEO of UDI Oleg Gulyak.

«The efforts made to develop the arms industry worldwide before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine were insufficient. To improve the situation, quick and effective actions by both Ukrainians and their allies are needed,» said Lynndy Smith, Member of the Supervisory Board of Ukroboronprom, President of the Arizona Defense Industry Coalition (USA). She made this statement during the second Defense Industry Forum, where she moderated one of the panels. The topic of the discussion was the production of conventional weapons and the challenges faced by the arms manufacturers of the free world against the backdrop of the full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine. The discussion was attended by: Ihor Chepkov, Head of the Central Research Institute of Arms and Military Equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; Maksym Bilan, Executive Director of the joint venture between Rheinmetall and Ukroboronprom; Joe Dunaway, President of Amentum Services, Inc. Christian Sear, CEO of BAE Systems Ukraine; Rainer Warner, Senior Vice President of KNDS Deutschland. «A number of key factors influence the course of the Russian-Ukrainian war. For example, the rate of production in the West does not keep pace with the stockpiles of weapons that are used up on the battlefield. On the other hand, the capabilities of Ukraine's defense companies are not 100% utilized. Experts say that the Ukrainian defense industry currently has orders for $7 billion, which is only about a third of its potential capacity,» Ms. Smith said. The ways to solve this problem may be to deepen production cooperation between the Ukrainian and Western defense industries, including joint ventures, technology transfer and active attraction of foreign investment.

Supervisory Board of Joint Stock Company “Ukrainian Defense Industry” initiates transparent competition for the position of the company’s CEO. The Ukrainian representative office of a global executive search firm Odgers Berndtson that recruits senior leaders is involved in the search and preliminary evaluation of applicants. For additional information about the competition, please contact Tetiana Bidnenko at +38(095)868-9958 or e-mail tetiana.bidnenko@odgersberndtson.com. Candidates’ application deadlines: from September 20th to October 4th inclusive.

A public discussion on the results of implementing corporate governance reform in the public sector of the defense industry was held on March 27, 2024. The event was chaired by Herman Smetanin, Director General of JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry (JSC UDI). In he public discussion, that was traditionally held with the participation of the media, took part the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of JSC UDI David Lomjaria, The head of NAPC Viktor Pavlushchyk and the Head of the Security and Defense Integrity Policy Development Department of NACP Maryna Barynina, representatives of the Ministry of Strategic Industries and the Ministry of Defense, Marina Assistant to Building Integrity Programme NATO Representation to Ukraine (NRU) Kogut Senior, anti-corruption NGO such as StateWatch, NAKO and heads of JSC UDI entities. «It has been nine months since UDI operates as a JSC not a State Concern Ukroboronprom. During this period, many important events took place: UDI shares were issued that now they are owned by the State represented by the Government, a large-scale anti-corruption infrastructure was launched, the Cabinet of Ministers appointed the Supervisory Board of UDI,» said Herman Smetanin. More than 30 Subsidiaries of the JSC UDI have been corporatized through transformation into LLCs and JSCs. Transparent selection of 19 candidates for the heads of entities was carried out.  «We keep on building our Network of Anti-corruption officers at defense companies,» said Olena Kovalova, Director of the Compliance and Risk Management Department. - «Thus, in the first quarter of 2024, we assessed corruption risks at 20% of our entities». «We are convinced that we will see a fundamentally new ecosystem of Ukrainian defense as a result our corporate governance reform. The defense industry's role in country's economy development will only grow in the future. In addition, the reform will make it possible to transfer advanced technologies, attract investments, and establish joint ventures with foreign partners,» said the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of JSC UDI David Lomjaria.

In a significant move to bolster Ukraine's defense capabilities, Ukrainian Defense Industry has partnered with Česká zbrojovka a.s., a subsidiary of Colt CZ Group SE, signing an Agreement of Intent for the license transfer. This agreement will enable the Ukrainian company to assemble NATO standard rifles, specifically the CZ BREN 2 model, in Ukraine. At the center of this initiative is the CZ BREN 2 rifle, renowned for its deployment by various military and law enforcement customers worldwide, including the Army of the Czech Republic, Ukrainian Armed Forces, French National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN), Portuguese Army, Polish Border Guard, Romanian Gendarmerie and other professional customers. The project's goal is to equip the Ukrainian Armed Forces with a proven, high-quality standard NATO firearm, enhancing their operational capabilities. Herman Smetanin, CEO of Ukrainian Defense Industry, highlighted the importance of this agreement: “The technology transfer from NATO member states marks a pivotal moment for our company, driven by successful international cooperation and ongoing defense reforms. This initiative is a crucial step towards establishing an Arsenal of the Free World within Ukraine.” “We are honored to support Ukraine’s efforts to adopt NATO standard equipment and increase the capability of its defense industry. This first step towards of full-scale transfer of technology project for the CZ BREN 2 rifle is a direct consequence of its successful deployment on the battlefield in Ukraine by the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” underlined Jan Zajíc, CEO of Česká zbrojovka. This ambitious transfer of technology project of the CZ BREN 2 rifles in Ukraine was showcased as a key initiative at the First International Defense Industry Forum (DFNC1) in Kyiv. The forum, held at the end of September 2023, was a collaborative effort by the Ukrainian Ministry of Strategic Industries, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, drawing participation from 252 companies across more than 30 countries.