“Defense of Ukraine” in a New Way: What Schools Are Procuring for Students on Prozorro

In the 2024–2025 academic year, high school students will study the subject “Defense of Ukraine” under an updated curriculum. The course is now unified for both boys and girls, covering topics such as innovative technologies, information security, and pre-medical care. Training will take place at specially designed facilities equipped with modern technology. Students will participate in full-day training sessions once a month. 

In the 10th grade, students will study the fundamentals of national security and defense of Ukraine, principles of management and planning, as well as weapons and military equipment. The program for eleventh graders includes the development of military technologies, aspects of information security, pre-medical care, methods for protecting civilians in crisis situations, and strategies for defending Ukraine. 

The government has allocated UAH 1.74 billion from the state budget to update the integrated course “Defense of Ukraine.” Of this amount, UAH 100 million will be spent on professional development and teacher training, while UAH 1.64 billion will go toward procuring equipment. The funds will be distributed among the training facilities. In individual regions, these facilities are being created and equipped with co-financing from both state and local budgets.

The DOZORRO Transparency International Ukraine project analyzed how these funds are used in Prozorro.

Facilities and equipment

Lessons on “Defense of Ukraine” will be held in specially created interschool facilities, and there will be approximately 1200 of them all over the country. Such facilities can be established in territorial communities with more than 80 students in the 10th and 11th grades of general education schools, or at least 200 students in vocational schools or colleges. Each facility is designed to serve 5-10 educational institutions and must meet specific criteria: a convenient location, the required number of premises, and an adequate material and technical base. The list of such facilities is approved by the regional military administrations.

For example, in the Rivne region, 42 facilities are operational, with UAH 84 million allocated from the state budget for their equipment. The Chernivtsi region received over UAH 65 million in state subventions for the procurement of necessary equipment for 25 centers. In the Kyiv region, 69 facilities will be equipped with UAH 113 million (UAH 86 million from the state budget and UAH 27 million from the local budget). 

Each facility is planned to be equipped with modern equipment, with the standard list determined by the Ministry of Education and Science. They will include, among other things:

• computer simulation systems for drone control, consisting of a drone, smart glasses, remote control, and other equipment;
• interactive laser shooting simulators that create a simulated shooting range by projecting images onto a screen;
• mannequins for training in pre-medical care and cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
• other devices and equipment, including walkie-talkies, compasses, radiation detection devices, hard hats, grenades, gas masks, and mock-ups of weapons.

Procurements on Prozorro 

Procuring entities must procure training equipment through the electronic catalog Prozorro Market if its cost exceeds UAH 100,000. The catalog is managed by SI “Professional Procurement.” The institution conducted open consultations with potential suppliers in advance to develop technical specifications for products, ensuring all market offers were considered. 

Our sample includes procurements that contain the phrase “Defense of Ukraine” in their name. These lots total UAH 238 million. In addition, we focused on different types of equipment procured for this course (e.g., drone control simulators, simulators, mock-ups, and mannequins for pre-medical care training). The total value of such contracts amounted to UAH 85 million. 

Additionally, the sample may include tenders that were held outside of the pilot project. In some educational institutions (not facilities), the “Defense of Ukraine” course will continue under the old program, and as a result, they may also procure equipment. 

As of November 4, 2024, over 1,200 contracts worth UAH 323 million have been signed to support the study of the “Defense of Ukraine” subject. An additional 470 procurements, valued at UAH 189 million, are still ongoing. Most of the funds were spent on the procurement of computer simulators for drone control — UAH 142 million — and another UAH 54 million on interactive laser shooting simulators. Various educational supplies and equipment, including accessories for pre-medical care and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, as well as tools for studying tactical medicine, cost the state UAH 42 million. Furniture amounted to UAH 15 million, while repair and construction works totaled UAH 14 million.

More than 66% of the total value of all contracts concluded for the “Defense of Ukraine” course is allocated to procurements through Prozorro Market. Another 23% were procured through special open bidding, while just over 10% were contracted via direct contracts.

On average, 1.29 participants applied for competitive bidding, with one supplier participating in 82% of the lots. The highest level of procurement activity occurred at the start of the new academic year, when the catalog saw significant updates. In September, contracts totaling nearly UAH 80 million were concluded, while in October, this amount rose to UAH 215 million. 

Most procurements were carried out by education departments, divisions, and branches, while educational institutions themselves handled them less frequently. 

Regional distribution

The highest spending on procurements for the course was in the Kyiv region, totaling UAH 58 million, with UAH 22 million allocated to Kyiv. Interestingly, the capital did not join the Ministry of Education and Science’s experiment on updating the “Defense of Ukraine” school subject. The Department of Education and Science of the Kyiv City State Administration reported that they had not received an invitation from the Ministry. However, the Kyiv Education Department asserts that they have been working on updating the curriculum for “Defense of Ukraine” independently since the end of last year and have allocated funds for this effort themselves. 

The Lviv region ranks second, with a total of UAH 48 million in contracts. Ivano-Frankivsk region rounds out the top three, with contracts amounting to UAH 42 million. 

Top 3 largest suppliers

A total of 330 suppliers and contractors won tenders for procuring items necessary for the integrated course “Defense of Ukraine.” The three largest suppliers account for 45% of the total value of contracts concluded. 

The leading supplier is HRAFIKAPROM LLC, which has signed contracts worth UAH 59.2 million. Of this amount, UAH 42 million comes from two procurements by the Department of Education and Science of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration. HRAFIKAPROM LLC will supply drone control simulators worth UAH 32 million and interactive laser shooting simulators (shooting ranges) worth UAH 10 million.

The company was registered in the capital in 2019, with Anton Stohanov as its owner. Since its establishment, it has signed contracts worth UAH 764 million through Prozorro. 

EDUCATIONAL EQUIPMENT LLC ranks second, with contracts totaling UAH 48 million. Although the company was established only in early June 2024, it quickly made its mark on the public procurement market. In just four months, EDUCATIONAL EQUIPMENT LLC signed 245 contracts worth UAH 111 million. The company supplies various school supplies and multimedia equipment. Its owner is Vitalii Pavlenko from Kyiv. 

Half of the total number of contracts consists of equipment for the subject “Defense of Ukraine.” The company supplied goods to 75 different procuring entities. EDUCATIONAL EQUIPMENT LLC also signed agreements with the Education Department of the Krolevets City Council for UAH 2.4 million.

Rounding out the top three is DIXIE-CENTER LLC, with contracts totaling UAH 39 million. Established in 2006, the company is owned by Kyiv resident Yurii Horshunov and specializes in the wholesale trade of electronic equipment. Since the launch of Prozorro, it has secured government contracts worth UAH 1.2 billion.

DIXIE-CENTER LLC signed three contracts worth UAH 10.9 million with the Department of Education and Science of the Zhytomyr Regional State Administration. For the updated “Defense of Ukraine” course, the company procured interactive laser shooting simulators for UAH 2.4 million and drone control simulators for UAH 3.5 million. Additionally, it will supply equipment for training in pre-medical care and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, tools for studying tactical medicine, and mock-ups of weapons, totaling UAH 4.7 million.

For the first time in a decade, Ukraine is making a fundamental update to the “Defense of Ukraine” school curriculum. In the context of a full-scale war, this update is an urgent necessity. However, it is unlikely that all the necessary equipment will be procured before the end of this year.

According to the Ministry of Education and Science, as of early November, the value of contracted equipment accounted for only 15% of the allocated funds. By November 5, approximately 1,200 contracts worth UAH 323 million had been identified in Prozorro. Of these, 720 contracts totaling UAH 215 million were concluded in October. If this pace continues, it may be possible to utilize 30-40% of the funds allocated for “Defense of Ukraine” equipment by the end of the year. 

In practice, this means that most students will likely study the new curriculum partially under the old conditions this year. They will fully experience classes equipped with drone flight simulators, laser shooting simulators, and mannequins for tactical medicine training in the next academic year.

The piece was written in collaboration with Aliona Yashchuk, DOZORRO TI Ukraine public procurement monitoring specialist. 

This publication was created within the framework of the Supporting Digital Transformation project, funded by USAID and UK Dev.