In just three years of the full scale war, Ukraine has not only endured but built its own defence industry. Domestic manufacturers of weapons and military equipment are designing and refining solutions that help the military resist the enemy every day. Out of this struggle has emerged ZBROYA – our smart force.
A shared identity
The name ZBROYA was first announced in February 2025, in a speech by the President of Ukraine during a presentation of the country’s defence achievements, attended by world leaders and representatives of the European Commission. Since then, it has become the official brand under which Ukraine presents its defence industry to the world.
ZBROYA symbolises smart solutions forged in real combat and created by people defending their homeland while building a safer future. The brand unites every element of the defence ecosystem – government, state and private manufacturers, universities and research institutes, R&D centres, incubators and accelerators, scientists and inventors, volunteers and charities, as well as international partners – into a single system of interaction that develops, produces, and delivers battle tested technology, forming the Arsenal of the Free World.
Today, Ukraine’s defence ecosystem brings together 900 manufacturers of weapons and military equipment – more than 100 state owned and 800 private companies – alongside over 1,000 teams working on innovative solutions. The sector employs more than 300,000 people, sustaining critical areas of defence production.
The brand ZBROYA was created to make Ukraine’s defence industry coherent, transparent, open, easy-to-understand, and globally competitive.
Thirty-five-fold growth in three years
The war has shown that Ukraine’s strength lies not only in the courage of its soldiers but also in its ability to rapidly generate new technological solutions.
In just three years, the production capacity of the Ukrainian defence industry has grown thirty five times – from $1 billion in 2022 to $35 billion in 2025 – a pace unmatched anywhere else in the world.
Today, more than 40% of the weapons used on the front line are Ukrainian made, and this share continues to rise. Domestic enterprises produce artillery shells, armoured vehicles, missiles, drones, ground robotics, electronic warfare and reconnaissance systems – everything needed to help Ukraine’s Security and Defence Forces resist the enemy.
ZBROYA.GOV.UA: The ecosystem’s digital core
On 18 August 2025, the Ministry of Defence launched zbroya.gov.ua, a single digital platform of government services for arms and equipment manufacturers.
Designed as a single “entry point” for companies wishing to join the defence sector or expand their capabilities, the portal provides fast access to essential services, support programmes, and up to date information. Its mission is to simplify interaction between defence enterprises and the state, showcase Ukraine’s potential for new avenues of partnership as openly as possible, and create a comprehensive ecosystem to accelerate the entire cycle from testing to mass production.
The portal provides access to key government services:
- Employee Reservation – up to 100% of staff can be secured for uninterrupted production.
- Preferential Loans – 5% credit for scaling production, purchasing equipment, and launching new designs.
- Brave1 Grant Scheme – support from UAH 500,000 to UAH 8 million for cutting edge defence tech projects, such as swarms of robotic platforms, ballistic missile systems, naval drones, and fibre optic FPV drones.
- Component Library – a secure digital platform connecting suppliers and manufacturers to localise production.
- Iron Proving Ground – rapid professional trials and demonstrations of weapons and equipment.
- Codification of New Models – streamlined interaction with the Ministry of Defence for registering new systems.
The platform is continuously updated and will soon include defence sector regulations, current news, and a leasing programme for production assets and equipment.
ZBROYA: The value built by people
Beyond the core services, zbroya.gov.ua opens new opportunities for veterans seeking to join the defence industry. The portal lists verified vacancies where veterans can apply their skills and experience.
Bringing veterans into the defence industry is a mission the ZBROYA ecosystem pursues without interruption. More than 150 Ukrainian defence companies have already signed the Veteran-Friendly Business Principles, while over 75 HR specialists have completed training on integrating veterans into company operations.
Defence enterprises can also participate in joint educational initiatives with universities and institutions within the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences. Among the opportunities for scaling and growth are programmes from the Kyiv Mohyla Business School and the Kyiv School of Economics (Smart Force Academy).