NSO Plans to Eliminate 200 Positions in the Back, Prioritizing Recruitment of Combat-Experienced Officers
The National Guard of Ukraine has announced a series of reforms aimed at creating a more transparent, effective, and controllable supply system. The changes, announced by Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko on August 5, 2025, are part of a broader initiative driven by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's directive to establish a trustworthy and efficient defense supply system for combat units.
At the heart of these reforms is the creation of a single unified procurement commission. This commission will centralize procurement decisions, replacing fragmented processes, and will be responsible for all procurement activities within the National Guard. The commission will be backed by a dedicated control department that will perform comprehensive checks on documents, suppliers, and officials involved in procurements.
One of the key measures introduced is the requirement for procurement officials to undergo polygraph tests before signing contracts. This is intended to ensure the highest levels of integrity and accountability in the procurement process. In addition, all past procurement contracts will be audited, with a focus on eliminating corruption.
To further streamline operations and focus resources on the frontline, the National Guard is reducing approximately 200 rear-line positions. This move is designed to cut unnecessary bureaucracy and redirect resources towards the forefront.
The reforms also extend to the appointment process within the National Guard. From now on, only officers with combat experience in organizing work and supplies in logistics directions will be considered for positions responsible for procurements, supply of weapons and military equipment, and material and technical support of units. This requirement for combat experience is intended to ensure that those in charge of procurement have a deep understanding of the needs of combat units and the challenges they face.
The reforms come in the wake of a large-scale corruption scandal involving drones and electronic warfare systems. The case, which involves an incumbent MP, heads of rayon and city military civil administrations, and National Guard servicemen, alleges that state contracts were signed with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices.
The new department for controlling operational (combat) activity, established within the National Guard, will conduct checks on all contracts to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. This department will scrutinize every document, supplier, contractor, and official within the National Guard to ensure the highest levels of transparency and accountability.
In summary, the National Guard's procurement reforms include the formation of one unified procurement commission to centralize decisions, the establishment of a control department performing checks on documents, suppliers, and officials, polygraph tests for procurement officials before signing contracts, a review and audit of all past procurement contracts, and a reduction of approximately 200 rear positions to cut unnecessary bureaucracy and focus resources on the frontline.
These measures are designed to make the supply system transparent, effective, and controllable, restoring trust and optimizing resource use in defense procurement. At present, there is no comparable information regarding similar single commissions or corruption investigations outside the context of Ukraine’s National Guard.
[1] Klymenko, I. (2025, August 5). Reforms in the National Guard: A New Approach to Procurement. Retrieved from https://www.mvd.gov.ua/news/reforms-v-natsgvardii-novyj-prykhod-do-zakupok
[2] US Army Contract Consolidation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.army.mil/article/190522/us_army_contract_consolidation
[3] Federal Procurement Data System. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.fpds.gov/
[4] Procurement in the Federal Government. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/government/procurement/
[5] Office of Federal Procurement Policy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/ofpp/
- The policy-and-legislation aspect of these procurement reforms in the National Guard of Ukraine is an essential part of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's initiative for a trustworthy defense supply system.
- In the realm of general-news and crime-and-justice, the formation of the new department for controlling operational (combat) activity aims to prevent corruption cases like the drone and electronic warfare systems scandal from reoccurring in the future.
