Grenade launchers from the 1980s were passed off as new: the SBU is investigating a weapons purchase worth UAH 637 million

Nine times more expensive: law enforcement exposed a repeated attempt to sell old grenade launchers to Ukraine

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09 Jul 2026

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The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Office of the Prosecutor General are investigating the procurement for the Defense Forces of 6,000 disposable anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launchers RPG-75M with a total value of UAH 637 million. According to the investigation, instead of new weapons, the military unit was allegedly to be handed items from the 1980s with altered markings. The SBU reported this on 9 July 2026.

The contract of SE “Defense Procurement Agency” with a private company envisaged the delivery of launchers manufactured in 2024–2026. The supplier received an advance of UAH 318.5 million. At the same time, according to law enforcement, even before signing the contract the Logistics Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine warned the purchaser about the low effectiveness of this type of weapon and suggested considering other models.

In May 2026 the first batch of 3,024 launchers was delivered to the arsenal of one military unit. The military did not accept the weapons due to doubts about their quality and left the batch in temporary storage. During an inspection investigators found, under new labels, old inscriptions in Czech, signs of significant corrosion and components manufactured in 1986–1988.

According to the investigation, the true year of manufacture, technical condition and origin of the launchers may have been concealed using forged documents and by re-marking batch numbers. Law enforcement is also checking a possible collusion between representatives of the state purchaser and the supplier company. Preliminary losses to the state are estimated at UAH 318.5 million — the amount of the advance for weapons that the military unit effectively did not accept.

The SBU stated that the same launchers the foreign supplier had already tried to sell to Ukraine in 2022–2023. At that time the contract was terminated due to an attempt to deliver old weapons as new. The previous price, according to the investigation, was nine times lower. As part of the criminal proceedings, law enforcement conducted more than ten searches at the offices of “Defense Procurement Agency”, the supplier company and at the residences of the persons involved.

The proceedings are being investigated under the article on obstruction of the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a special period. The investigation is ongoing. Only a court can establish the guilt of those involved.

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