Ukraine’s Defense Ministry simplifies rear-area purchasing rules to cut delays
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has simplified the procurement process for rear-area supplies for the Defense Forces by eliminating repeated approval of fuel prices when market prices change, the department’s press service reported on Aug. 18.
Arsen Zhumadilov, the director of Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency (DPA), is scheduled to resign on September 1, according to Ukrainian media reports. His departure is part of a wider leadership change within the ministry. ZN.UA reported that Artem Romaniukov, head of the Defense Ministry's Procurement Policy Directorate, may take over Zhumadilov's role temporarily.
Zhumadilov's resignation has not been officially confirmed by the ministry. He was appointed to head the DPA in March 2025 after former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov dismissed the agency's previous director, Maryna Bezrukova, amid internal tensions. Prior to his role at the DPA, Zhumadilov served as the chief of the State Rear Operator, a separate agency responsible for non-lethal acquisitions, which was merged into the DPA in January under his leadership.
Zhumadilov has faced scrutiny from anti-corruption watchdogs, including a 2026 appearance before Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau in a major corruption investigation. He denied any wrongdoing during his testimony.
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- Defense Ministry's procurement chief to step down on Sept. 1, media reports kyivindependent.com
