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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
The FPV drone “General Chereshnya” in a few months transformed from just another model on the market into the priority product for a state contract worth 2,5 billion UAH.
On 23 April 2025 the UAV was codified and approved for use by the Main Directorate for Support and Life-Cycle Maintenance of Arms and Military Equipment of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. After that, “Chereshnya” began to be promoted as the base model for a large state order. The main recipient became the company LLC “CDBS,” registered in 2023, whose founder is Yaroslav Hryshyn — a former deputy of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council. A company with no history, but with authorized capital of more than 50 million UAH. Where did the money come from? A rhetorical question.
Rustem Umerov, Arsen Zhumadilov and “CDBS”: who made the decisions in favor of the sole supplier
Key decisions were made by representatives of the management block of defense procurement. Among the persons mentioned are former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and the director of the Defense Procurement Agency, Arsen Zhumadilov. According to the investigation, they facilitated “General Chereshnya” receiving priority over more than 20 alternative models. And it was their decisions that opened the way to billion-hryvnia contracts for a company that had no manufacturing experience. Umerov, Zhumadilov — will you comment?
Personnel elevators and moves from the Ministry of Defense: how “CDBS” gained access to state contracts
Particular attention is drawn to personnel moves from the public sector to the private supplier. A former top manager of a state enterprise connected to the Ministry of Defense moved to work for “CDBS” in 2025. Another example of how state structures cultivate personnel for private business, and then that business receives billion-hryvnia contracts. Coincidence? Unlikely.
A twofold markup and bids without competition: how Hryshyn “won” in Prozorro
The market price of the drone is from 17 900 to 39 000 UAH per unit. This exceeds offers from other manufacturers. But the state chose precisely “CDBS.” In Zaporizhzhia region the company concluded a number of contracts without competition through the Prozorro system — it was the sole participant and winner. A tender for 2,5 billion — without a single competitor. How is this possible in a country at war where every kopeck counts? Obviously, it is possible when you have the right connections.
Several criminal proceedings have been registered on the presented facts under articles on embezzlement of property and abuse of office. However, a full pretrial investigation, the publication claims, is currently not underway. There are cases, but no work. Yaroslav Hryshyn continues to receive contracts. Umerov and Zhumadilov remain silent. And “General Chereshnya” becomes a symbol of how war is turned into a source of superprofits for the chosen few.
Source: fttc.com
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "«Генерал Вишня» на 2,5 мільярда гривень: фірма колишнього депутата Гришина здобула монопольне становище у закупівлях дронів для ЗСУ". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Rozsliduvach.
