The Ministry of Defense has won a case in an arbitration court against a foreign company that supplied substandard body armor and helmets to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The court has ordered the return of nearly UAH 400 million to Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian defense department's press service, during the early stages of Russia's full-scale invasion, the Ministry of Defense purchased body armor and helmets for the Ukrainian Armed Forces from a foreign supplier. The initial batches delivered to Ukraine during the spring and summer of 2022 were of good quality. However, the products received in the fall and winter of 2022 failed ballistic tests, and as a result, the Ministry of Defense did not accept them.
The defense department demanded a refund for the substandard body armor and helmets and also sought the payment of penalty sanctions from the supplier, who refused to comply with these demands.
"The Legal Department of the Ministry of Defense filed a lawsuit with the international arbitration court to recover the cost of undelivered body armor and helmets, penalty sanctions, and annual interest. According to the arbitration's decision, annual interest will continue to accrue on the cost of undelivered goods until the money is returned," the statement reads.
In total, the supplier is required to return approximately 10 million euros to Ukraine, which is almost UAH 400 million.
