Amazon for drones and EW: How the Brave1 Market works

SPOTTED: At a Kyiv launch event for the Snake Island Institute, an NGO focused on Ukraine-U.S. ties and military analysis:

• Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy chief of HUR;

• Eveline Buchatskiy, Anton Verkhovodov, and Elya Chiechienieva from D3 Venture Capital Firm;

• Deborah Fairlamb, founding partner at Green Flag Ventures; 

• Kateryna Bumaha, general counsel at HIMERA; 

• Roman Pohorilyi and Ruslan Mykula, co-founders of DeepState; 

• Anna Gvozdiar, deputy minister of the Ministry of Strategic Industries; 

• Andrii Ryzhenko, former deputy chief of staff of the Ukrainian Navy; 

• Maksym Vasylchenko, CEO of Tencore; 

• Anastasiia Rymar, founder of the Center of National Resistance; 

• Ievgeniia Bespalova, CSO at Molfar Intelligence Firm. 

BLUF: The Brave1 Market online platform was created to optimize procurement processes in Ukraine's defense sector, allowing the military to interact directly with manufacturers.

BIG NEWS: Zelenskyy announced a program to open exports for the transfer of military technologies and production lines abroad – but details are murky and to be announced over the summer. See our reporting bites below.

Optic fiber is now exempt from import duties/VAT. 

Kvertus supplied the first batch of EW systems designed to cover the entire front line. Also, the Come Back Alive foundation began supplying the military with FPV drones capable of targeting Russian Shaheds as part of a project that has already seen some success.

THE BIG STORY: A new way to procure weaponry in Ukraine: Brave1 Market

This spring, the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Brave1 defense technology cluster launched the 'Brave1 Market,' a marketplace that connects manufacturers of innovative technologies with soldiers who might need their products on the front line. 

This is an online platform that allows the military to find, compare, and purchase innovative products directly from manufacturers. 

The purpose is to provide the military with flexible, rapid access to new products, Yuliia Myrna, who is in charge of the Brave1 Market, told Counteroffensive.Pro. It allows military units to independently select, purchase, and receive the items they need to deal with the operational situation on the front line. At the moment, the platform features over 3,600 products, such as FPV drones, ground drones, electronic warfare systems and components.

How does it work? 

Brave1 Market is similar to online stores like Amazon. 

But instead of household goods and everyday appliances, it features all the latest proven Ukrainian military technologies in one place.

After entering the platform through the Ukrainian ID-system Diia, military personnel can find necessary equipment, view its technical characteristics, see available components, and immediately contact the manufacturer. 

This includes electronic warfare systems, FPV drones, ground robotic systems, as well as the components for them. 

All items on Brave1 Market can be purchased by official units with their own funds. From the military side, only an authorized individual appointed by the commander of a military unit has the right to make a procurement. This person can select goods, communicate with manufacturers, and conclude contracts with them to acquire the goods. 

The platform is open to everyone, but for the military, there is a closed part which is accessible only through authorization via Delta, a Ukrainian military software. Volunteers wanting to help units at the front can find what they need through the public-facing version and contact the producer directly.

For manufacturers, the process of joining the platform is very simple, said Taras Ostapchuk, CEO of ground drones developer Ratel. All you have to do, he said, is fill out a basic form to list a product on the marketplace. Then, the Brave1 team adds technical specifications and creates a product card. This process can take just a few hours. 

Only Ukrainian developers can place their goods on the platform. However, if a foreign company has an office in Ukraine, it can also be listed on the marketplace, Myrna said.

However, the process of signing a contract and getting the product delivered can take a week or more, Ostapchuk added. First, a request is made by a military unit, followed by approvals, calculations, and documentation. At this stage, Brave1 is no longer a party to the contract, and all communication is carried out directly between the buyer and the developer, who is responsible for the product's serviceability and delivery time.

Brave1 Market does not require MoD codification of products. They need to be Ukrainian-made products, affirmed through the Ukrainian Diia verification platform. Developers should also be members of the Brave1 platform. 

Developers should test the product, feedback from soldiers can be found in the review section on the marketplace. This enables a significant reduction in the time from development to deployment and helps to speed up the cycle of innovation development, Myrna said.

To ensure a level playing field, the marketplace has a function that compares products by their technical characteristics and cost. This enables the user to select the most effective solution, regardless of the company's size. This, in turn, creates a space where even small manufacturers have the opportunity to sell products, and such competition drives product improvement.

The decentralized approach also enables a more thorough consideration of product quality and availability. It facilitates the customization of goods to meet specific needs, such as modifying a product or arranging for a faster delivery than would be available through large-scale government procedures.

Rewards for striking enemy targets: The E-Points bonus system 

In April 2024, the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Brave1 defense technology cluster launched the 'Army of Drones' bonus program, better known as the E-points system. 

The program offers rewards for the confirmed destruction of enemy equipment or soldiers, with military units (especially FPV-drone units) winning points that can later be exchanged for new drones or other equipment.

The program is integrated with Delta, a situational awareness system that allows the military to upload photos of damaged equipment to confirm combat results. 

About 90% of drone units have already joined the program, according to Mykhailo Fedorov, Minister of Digital Transformation. Counteroffensive.Pro reached out to brigades that are directly involved in the E-points program for comment, but they have so far declined. 

A scoring system is also in the works for ground robotic systems, Ostapchuk of Ratel told Counteroffensive.Pro. He noted that there is one big drawback, namely that this system does not yet provide the opportunity to spend the accumulated points on the repair or replacement of damaged equipment. 

This creates difficulties for units that actively use ground drones in the combat zone, he said. If their equipment breaks down, they are forced to either lose it or rely on their own resources to repair it or get support from the developers.

The military will be able to use E-points to make purchases on the marketplace as soon as the regulatory framework for implementing this project is approved; currently, this framework is being prepared by the Brave1 team, Myrna noted.

The launch of Brave1 Market has attracted considerable attention in other countries, as Ukraine demonstrates what it has learned from its own experience in the war: rapid adaptation to new conditions is crucial to modern combat.

BUSINESS LUNCH TOPICS: What our reporting shows!

1. Zelenskyy announces the start of military technology exports 

On June 21, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the ‘Build with Ukraine’ program, which will see Ukraine start exports in the defense sector to countries in Europe and beyond. The relevant agreements will be signed this summer, the president announced. 

Ukraine will transfer its technologies abroad and establish production lines in these countries to supply not only the Ukrainian army but also foreign ones. Zelenskyy said such production will include missiles, drones, and potentially artillery. 

He also stated that $43 billion had been secured for the Ukrainian defense industry in 2025. In 2026, he said, Ukraine will ask its Western partners to allocate 0.25 percent of their GDP to domestic weapons production in Ukraine.

However, manufacturers have not yet received any explanations on how the new program will work, Serhii Vysotsky, deputy head of the National Association of Ukrainian Defense Industries, told Counteroffensive.Pro. The State Service for Export Control (SSEC) is also not yet aware of how the new project will work, said Oleh Tsylvik, the acting head of the SSEC.

2. MPs approve public-private partnerships in defense 

The Verkhovna Rada adopted a law for the government to attract private investment in defense and national reconstruction – draft law №7508 – earlier this month.

Once the law is signed by Zelenskyy, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Strategic Industries will need to develop a detailed regulatory structure, said MP Halyna Yanchenko, initiator of the law.

"I predict that work on the regulatory framework… could take at least six months," Yanchenko told Counteroffensive.Pro.

The Ministry of Strategic Industries will play a key role in implementing the law. According to Yanchenko, the new law will enable:

• Creating joint ventures based on state-owned enterprises;

• Attracting investment in R&D. Private investors, for example, will fund the development of missiles to receive a share of future profits or state contracts;

• Building long-term interest from foreign companies that previously feared a lack of transparency, by making regulations straightforward and understandable.

Ultimately, the collaboration between state and private manufacturers aims to enhance the country's defense capabilities and create new employment opportunities.

3. New project to cover the whole front line with EW

Kvertus, a Ukrainian manufacturer of EW systems, together with partners, has delivered the first batch of systems of the ‘Atlas’ project to a Ukrainian military unit. The goal of 'Atlas' is to cover the entire front line with electronic warfare and electronic intelligence systems to improve EW operations and prevent friendly fire, Yaroslav Filimonov, CEO of Kvertus, told Counteroffensive.Pro.

During the first deployment, the army received four LTEJ MIRAGE EW systems and one MS AZIMUTH electronic intelligence station that detects drones.

The project's estimated cost is $123.8 million. This includes the supply of 6,000 LTEJ MIRAGE EW systems and 300 MS AZIMUTH electronic intelligence units. This equipment would cover 1,300 km of the front line. 

The project is being implemented through fundraising by charitable organizations, but the manufacturer wants to involve the state going forward, said Filimonov.

"Our production capacity is sufficient to implement this project on time. Integrating with other manufacturers is possible. The code is open, but other manufacturers' systems must meet software requirements," Filimonov explained.

The reconnaissance station will detect enemy drones and identify the specific frequency at which those drones are operating. The EW system will then be able to jam that particular frequency. If the drone changes frequency during flight, the EW system will also automatically adjust. This approach can also prevent friendly fire, since the detection system allows for the identification of friendly frequencies.

4. Charity funds will be the death of Russian Shahed drones

A new fundraiser to destroy Russian drones has already paid off. A total of 17 Shahed drones have been shot down as part of the recently launched ‘Dronefall’ project, which aims to counter Russian reconnaissance and kamikaze drones, the Come Back Alive charity foundation reported. This was done using modified FPV interceptors purchased by volunteers (read our article on how Ukraine is combating advanced Shaheds).

Work on these anti-drone interceptors began in March, said Taras Tymochko, a consultant for the Come Back Alive foundation. These drones can climb to an altitude of over 3 km, allowing them to hit Shahed drones.

“The training time for the crew depends on their previous experience. If the operator has previously worked with FPV drones or has experience flying a copter or UAVs, the training process is faster,” said Tymochko.

According to him, there are three levels of development:

• basic training stage — from one month;

• mastering the interception of air targets: about another month;

• developing skills and stable experience: 4–6 months.

Ukrainian orders/legislation we’re tracking: 

By: Oksana Zabolotna

Exemption from customs duties for optical fiber imported for the production of UAVs.

Laws № 4474-IX and 4473-IX dated 04.06.2025

Why it’s important:

The adoption of these laws will contribute to reducing the production costs of drones that use optical cable for control and video signal transmission, as well as other defense-related products that utilize optical cable. 

Proposals:

• During martial law, the importation and supply within Ukraine of optical fibers and fiber-optic harnesses shall be exempt from import duty and 20% value-added tax. The only condition is that such goods must be imported for the production or repair of unmanned systems, as well as spools of fiber-optic cable. This includes aerial, ground, and maritime drones.

• After using such goods, the enterprise must submit a report indicating the number of spools of fiber-optic cable produced using the imported goods to the State Customs Service.

Link to Defense Tech:

Such components are essential for communication, navigation, and drone control systems. The mandatory reporting on the number of spools produced ensures oversight of the intended use and promotes transparency in this strategically important sector.

Stage: The laws were signed by the president on June 12.

Initiator: A group of 34 Members of Parliament of Ukraine from the factions ‘Holos,’ ‘Servant of the People,’ ‘European Solidarity,’ and ‘Batkivshchyna,’ led by Roman Kostenko.

What’s next: The laws took effect on June 15.

ON THE MOVE: Professional movement, promotions and industry news.

Know someone in the defense tech space who has made a professional move? Drop us a line at [email protected]! 

• Vladyslav Klochkov, a Ukrainian major general and former commander of the Directorate of Moral and Psychological Support, began working at the American University Kyiv as a lecturer.

• Brave Inventors, a platform that brings together developers and investors to develop new products, is seeking a PR manager. 

• Ukrainian electronic warfare system producers have formed the Radioelectronic Alliance of Ukraine, uniting 12 domestic producers. They aim to support alliance members in their relations with the state, represent companies abroad, and promote the localization of foreign products in Ukraine.

30 SECOND ELEVATOR PITCH:

ARMADRONE is a manufacturer of combat unmanned aerial systems based on battlefield experience of the Ukrainian company UA Dynamics. The company holds government contracts in Ukraine, works on development in Poland, and is preparing to launch production in the European Union.

The product line includes reusable attack UAVs, operational and strategic-level kamikaze drones, ammunition, ground equipment, proprietary software, and crew training services.

Armadrone is seeking strategic partnerships in an €13 million drone manufacturing venture. 

“We plan to produce four types of UAVs aimed at both supplying the Armed Forces of Ukraine and scaling to international markets, especially NATO countries. This is a full-cycle production opportunity - from advanced composite manufacturing to final testing - with strong potential for long-term growth," said Maksym Subotin, a CBDO at Armadrone.

MUST READS:

• Ukraine has launched serial production of Sapsan, a domestically developed short-range ballistic missile, said Andriy Yermak, head of the President's Office.

• In cooperation with France, NATO, and Ukrainian defense structures, joint tests of systems to counter planned bombs were conducted with the participation of startups Alta Ares, ATREYD, and TYTAN. These companies are already working on system updates, and Ukraine expects the first deployment by the end of 2025.

• The Defense Post has published its Top 100 Drone Defense Companies 2025 ranking. This includes three Ukrainian manufacturers: TAF Drones, Ukrspecsystems, and Airlogix.

• WIY DRONES has developed two types of interceptor drones, STRILA and BUREWIY. The first one can shoot down Shahed drones, and the second works against Russian reconnaissance UAVs.

• Russians have begun using a new reconnaissance drone before launching Shaheds. Visually, it looks the same as Shahed, but it's only used to recognize the positions of anti-air assets like mobile air defense units.

• The French company Parrot has developed the ANAFI UKR reconnaissance quadcopter, tailored to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to the developers, it is capable of conducting close air reconnaissance day and night, has high resistance to electronic warfare, and can operate without GPS navigation.

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