Combat ammunition: how our military is supplied

The ongoing war in Ukraine poses not only strategic but also material challenges to the military. Provision of appropriate military uniforms is becoming one of the critical aspects of maintaining the combat capability of our defenders. Recent months have shown that the issue of supplying clothing for the army needs constant improvement and attention. Not only the physical, but also the moral health of the military depends on the quality and comfort of clothing, as well as their ability to effectively perform combat tasks.

How much does Ukrainian military equipment cost?

In general, the cost of maintaining one soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine without weapons is 1.2 million hryvnias ($30,000). This figure was announced by the Deputy Minister of Defense Yuriy Dzhighir to the newspaper Bloomberg.

According to the norms defined by the state, each serviceman must be provided with the necessary things in accordance with the “Combat special kit” norm, which includes: a helmet, a helmet-pad, ballistic glasses, a thermal blanket, an individual first-aid kit, a tactical knife, a sleeping bag and other household items, berets, sneakers and trekking boots, helmet, headphones, set of field uniform, body armor, rucksack, tactical backpack, tactical gloves, shopping bag, personal protective equipment (goggles, gas mask, camouflage suits, knee pads and elbow pads), high training socks, sports underwear, raincoat , fleece sweater, t-shirts, combat shirt, bandana, hat and balaclava, gaiters, sock plate, combat belt. This set is an inventory and is given to servicemen for temporary use only, with some exceptions for those items that remain in the possession of a serviceman after release to the reserve or retirement during a special period.

Equipment prices vary depending on the brand, production region, demand and route to Ukraine. Therefore, their range is approximate, for example, military clothing now costs:

• Berets – from 2,500 to 7,000 hryvnias;
• tactical sneakers – 900-2000 hryvnias;
• socks – from 100 hryvnias;
• thermal underwear – 300-1300 per set;
• pants – 1000-3000 hryvnias;
• T-shirt – 200-600 hryvnias;
• ubaks – 600-1500 hryvnias;
• fleece jacket – 700-2000 hryvnias;
• camouflage jacket – 1500-1700 hryvnias;
• tactical gloves (they are different: shooting gloves, for artillerymen, just for heating) – 300-1200 hryvnias;
• cap, panama, hat, balaclava – 200-300 hryvnias.

Official data

A good combat-ready army depends entirely on the level of its support. According to government information, over the past three years, the Armed Forces have undergone significant changes in matters related to ammunition. In 2021, the state provision of military personnel remained at a stable level, but there were problems with the quality of kits and the timeliness of their supply. In 2022, due to a full-scale government invasion, funding for the provision of the military was increased, while public organizations and volunteers also became actively involved in the supply of quality ammunition for military personnel. However, despite the improvement of the situation in the sphere of state supply, the kits were still not provided in the required quantity, and the military acquired the necessary ammunition elements at their own expense.

In 2023, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine implemented a more systematic approach to the provision of servicemen, developed new standards and improved supply logistics. The quality of military uniforms improved significantly and the quantity of supplies satisfied most of the military units. Contracts with leading Ukrainian manufacturers made a significant contribution to the sphere of state supply. Thanks to the improvement of state provision and support from volunteer organizations, cases of independent procurement by the military have significantly decreased.

In the current year, the supply of military personnel continued to develop, taking into account all the challenges and experience of the past years. The government also increased funding for uniforms for the military, and new contracts were signed with leading clothing and textile manufacturers. As noted, the military uniform began to meet the necessary standards, having acquired such qualities as improved ventilation, waterproofness and wear resistance. The state implemented a digital supply management system, which helped reduce the time it takes to deliver uniforms to military units and ensure quality control at all stages of its production and supply. In addition, the design of the uniform has also been significantly improved, which has become more ergonomic and functional, with a large number of pockets and the possibility of adjusting the uniform to the individual needs of the military.

What manufacturers work to provide for our military

It is not difficult to buy a high-quality military uniform now, because many domestic enterprises engaged in tailoring clothes quickly reoriented themselves in the conditions of a full-scale invasion and provide for the needs of the military in the country. The largest number of the 19,700 registered enterprises is concentrated in the capital (14%), Kharkiv Oblast is in second place (13%), and Lviv Oblast rounds out the top three (8%). 60% of the companies are manufacturers of military, medical, and tactical clothing and footwear.

Among the most famous manufacturers are:

• the “Arber” company supplies the Ukrainian army with high-quality military uniforms that do not contradict modern standards;
• the manufacturer “Voronin” manufactures uniforms and accessories for military personnel;
• “M-Tac” company specializes in the production of tactical clothing and equipment for the military, providing them with a wide range of uniforms, shoes and backpacks;
• “Ukrainian Military Clothing” company creates specialized military clothing and accessories, tactical jackets, pants, hats and other necessary ammunition.

It should be noted that with the development of production technologies, our domestic brands such as Gudu and MustHave are beginning to compete with international well-known companies such as H&M. Thanks to innovative measures, original design, as well as high quality, Ukrainian manufacturers are winning more and more consumers both on the domestic and international markets. At the same time, in the first years of the full-scale invasion, some low-quality manufacturers tried to sneak in low-quality goods to the Ministry of Defense. However, over time, this situation has undergone certain changes, but there are still problems.

Are the military satisfied with the quality of the uniform?

Despite the positive trends in the growth of the field of production and supply of military ammunition at the front, there are still reasons for dissatisfaction among the military. Among them are:

• Insufficient ventilation. The existing military uniform does not provide sufficient ventilation, which leads to overheating during physical activity, which in turn reduces productivity and causes discomfort.
• Problems with waterproofing. The material from which the form is made may not be waterproof enough, which leads to getting wet. This factor reduces fighting capacity and increases the risk of developing diseases.
• Fasteners and zippers. The quality of fasteners and zippers can often be so low that it leads to their rapid wear and tear.
• Color and masking. The military often complains that the color of their uniform does not meet camouflage standards in a certain environment. The form is either too light or too dark, which immediately reduces the effectiveness of masking.
• Seam quality. The poor quality of the seams leads to their constant tearing. Such a problem becomes especially critical for form elements that are subject to increased load.
• Not enough pockets. The small number and inconvenient location of pockets can impair access to necessary equipment and ammunition. And quick access to the necessary things can be decisive in critical situations.
• Form weight. Military uniform sets are often too heavy to carry, thereby increasing the burden on soldiers during movement and combat operations. In the production of forms, lighter materials should be used, which could reduce fatigue and increase mobility.
• Term of service. Most of the military complain about the too short service life of the uniform. Even taking into account the availability of quality materials, frequent use of the mold in extreme conditions leads to its deterioration, which causes an urgent need for frequent changes.

“The level of provision depends on the unit. You can be given a lot of things, but their quality wants to remain better. The list of things that will be useful to you is long and lost”, – says serviceman Ruslan.

“Even if all the necessary uniforms are issued on time, the soldiers still have to buy everything themselves. The reason is quality. A high-quality helmet that will protect against any impact costs from UAH 20,000. And without a helmet, everything else is unlikely to be needed then. So they buy everything themselves. And if a fighter is in a hot spot, then his provision allows, but the family helps new arrivals in the purchase of all the necessary things.”, – says the head of the volunteer organization “Restaurator” Mykola Vasylkov.

We should not forget about another problem, which until recently did not really attract the attention of society. He serves in the ranks of our Armed Forces many military women (40-70 thousand people according to various data), and they defend the state on the same level as men. But for some reason they do not have their own form, but wear clothes from a man’s shoulder.  Military women complain that the uniform is too big, men’s underpants are included, and they have never heard of a bra in the military environment at all.

Military medic Nadiya Volkova has a short height of 153 cm, and for her, choosing a uniform in such conditions becomes just a real quest.

“Due to the large number of wounded, my uniform wears out very quickly. I get a new set and I don’t always have the opportunity to quickly turn to specialists who would be able to fit it for me. Women in the army feel the need for their own military uniform”, – says Nadiya.

However, manufacturers quickly adapt to the needs of society. Currently, there are already several sewing shops in Ukraine that are engaged in the production of uniforms for military women. Hanna Suvorkina, a technologist-designer of the women’s veteran movement, explains that girls first of all suffer from the uncomfortable fit of pants, the lack of a chest seam in coats, so they develop universal patterns.

So far, the Ministry of Defense has been able to arrange the supply of uniforms, in the development of which they took into account the anthropometric data of women and made changes, thanks to which the uniform became suitable for women.  Military women who participated in clothing testing, noted, that clothes have become universal: high fit, the fabric includes cotton and elastane, which stretches well and keeps its shape.

Does the state sufficiently provide for the military?

The Ukrainian military notes that the state of material support depends on the unit and commanders. Thus, a soldier of the 6th battalion of the 12th “Azov” brigade said:

“In general, the brigade gives us everything – all the equipment. But fighters are interested in buying something that is more comfortable for them. That’s what I bought myself.”

The ammunition cost the military 254,500 hryvnias (over $6,000). He mentioned what he bought and at what price: a helmet – 25 thousand UAH, Sordin headphones – 15 thousand UAH, a plate carrier with plates – 40 thousand UAH, a weapon – 60 thousand UAH, a thermal imager – 60 thousand UAH, Kevlar – 2 thousand UAH, gloves – UAH 2,000, groin protection – UAH 4,000, belt with ballistic insert – UAH 9,500. At the same time, the soldier had a machine gun with him, which he called a “home weapon”. In addition, he named the prices of clothes: Belleville shoes – 12 thousand UAH, pants – 6.5 thousand UAH, knee pads – 1.5 thousand, panama – 1 thousand, jacket “Level 7” – 16 thousand.

Military blogger Nicholas Karma also spoke on social media about the cost of military ammunition that fighters buy for themselves. According to him, the cost of equipping a soldier of the special forces brigade of the National Guard “Azov” is as follows: military clothes cost 37,000 hryvnias, and ammunition – almost 255,000 hryvnias.

So, getting to the front, a mobilized person should immediately receive all the necessary things, but in reality the situation is not always exactly like that. In many cases, military units are equipped with the bare minimum, and this forces the mobilized and those who have been fighting for a long time to buy equipment for themselves with personal funds. Our defenders spend a lot of money on it or rely on various volunteer organizations that collect funds for the purchase of necessary items. In addition, fighters do not have the opportunity to go shopping for ammunition.