For over ten years, the Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine has been promoting reforms in the field of security and defence through close cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and international governmental and non-governmental organisations. Key partners include the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the UK Special Defence Advisor, Alinea International, and the Foundation for Expert Deployment for Governance and Economic Development (EDGE), among others.
SADR Project — Support for Adaptive Defence Reforms
The Foundation is implementing Pillar 1 (Institutional Sustainability and Good Governance in the Ministry of Defence) of the Support for Adaptive Defence Reforms (SADR) project. Its goal is to introduce more effective and modern defence management tools and processes, as well as to strengthen the governance and management of defence systems.
As part of this Pillar, the Foundation facilitated the launch of the digital platforms Reserve+ and Army+, the introduction of electronic queuing at territorial recruitment centres, and the creation of 47 recruitment centres in 20 regions. Also, the Foundation supported the development of a roadmap for modernising supply chains — over 200 military units are already connected to the SAP system.
Pillar 1 (Institutional Sustainability and Good Governance in the Ministry of Defence) of “SADR” project is implemented by the Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine under a sub-grant from the EDGE Fund as part of the support programme led by the UK Special Defence Advisor Team (SDA), funded from the British Government’s Integrated Security Fund (ISF) budget.
ESTMOD Project (Expert Support for the Transformation of the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Defence Sector of Ukraine)
The Foundation is also implementing the Expert Support for Transformation of the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Defence Sector of Ukraine (ESTMOD) project, which aims to modernise approaches to procurement, digital governance and defence management.
Within the framework of the ESTMOD project, the Foundation’s experts have contributed to strengthening the institutional capacity of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA). Their support has included updating legislation, conducting business analysis, launching the agency’s Supervisory Board, and developing recommendations on its staffing structure.
Project experts have also supported the digitalisation of the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition (DOT), which is responsible for the procurement of supplies and food. With the project’s assistance, the DOT-Chain electronic system was introduced, digitising supply processes for the Armed Forces and enhancing transparency and accountability in procurement.
The initiative is a part of the support programme led by the UK Special Defence Advisor Team (SDA), funded from the British Government’s Integrated Security Fund (ISF) budget.
Cooperation with NATO (ANP)
In 2019, we joined the Foundation for Expert Deployment for Governance and Economic Development (EDGE) project, which focused on optimising the processes of preparing, monitoring and evaluating the Annual National Programmes (ANP) under the auspices of the NATO-Ukraine Commission. The goal of the project was to make sure the ANP were prepared in line with the Results-Based Management (RBM) principles.
Results:
-
an introductory training module on ANP planning was developed;
-
90 planning documents were prepared in accordance with the NATO-Ukraine Annual National Programme 2020.
-
25 strategic sessions were held for representatives of ministries — 570 participants responsible for developing the NATO-Ukraine Annual National Programme.
Basis for change: Ministry of Defence Reform Project Office
The Foundation's systematic work in the defence sector began in 2015 with the launch of the Ministry of Defence Reform Project Office, an advisory body to the Ministry of Defence and an analytical centre created to accelerate and support defence reforms.
In April 2016, a Memorandum of Partnership was signed with the Ministry of Defence.
The office's mission was to become a catalyst for change in the Armed Forces: to raise issues, propose solutions and help implement them. The work was carried out in five areas:
-
Democratic values and governance (democratic civilian control, gender policy, strategic communications, anti-corruption measures).
-
Defence planning (integrated procurement, cooperation with NATO, state quality assurance, capability-based planning).
-
Logistics, medicine and support (target logistics model, food reform, automation of logistics).
-
Capacity development (in particular in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles).
-
Professional development (Defence Management School, development of the sergeant corps).
Key achievements during this period include:
-
Approval of an agreement with NATO on support and supply for partnership in joint management of supplies (CMU Resolution No. 599 of 09.08.2017), which allowed the Ministry of Defence to purchase goods independently without special intermediaries.
-
Obtaining access to the NATO Logistics Electronic Database (NLSE).
-
Reform of the Armed Forces' food supply system and introduction of a new product catalogue.
-
Creation of a single strategic-level medical support management body — the Main Military Medical Directorate — taking into account NATO medical support principles, and launch of the 205th Tactical Medicine Training Centre — the first class of combat medics graduated according to the US Army's Combat Medic 68W standard.
-
Development of the sergeant corps and launch of the Defence Management School (a joint initiative of the Reform Project Office, the Ivan Cherniakhovskyi National Defence University and foreign partners). The initiative was included in the Ukraine-NATO Professional Development Programme for 2017-2021.
Thus, the Foundation for Support of Reforms in Ukraine plays an important role in the transformation of the country's defence sector: from digitalisation to improving procurement and logistics. In cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and international partners, we are creating innovative solutions that strengthen the country's defence capabilities and bring the Ukrainian defence system closer to NATO standards.