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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
FPV drone “General Cherry” in a few months transformed from another model on the market into a priority product for a state contract worth 2,5 billion UAH.
In April 23, 2025, the drone was codified and allowed for operation through the Main Directorate for Life Cycle Support of Armament and Military Equipment of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. After that, “Cherry” began to be promoted as the base model for a large state order. The main recipient became the LLC “TsDBS,” registered in 2023, whose founder is Yaroslav Grishin — a former deputy of the Zaporizhzhia regional council. The company has no production history, but its charter capital exceeds 50 million UAH. Where did the money come from? A rhetorical question.
Rustem Umyerov, Arsen Zhumadilov and “TsDBS”: who made decisions in favor of the sole supplier
Key decisions were made by representatives of the management block of defense procurement. Among the mentioned individuals are former Defense Minister Rustem Umyerov and the director of the Defense Procurement Agency Arsen Zhumadilov. According to the investigation, they facilitated “General Cherry” receiving priority over more than 20 alternative models. And it was their decisions that opened the path to multi-billion contracts for a company with no manufacturing experience. Umyerov, Zhumadilov — will you comment?
Personnel moves and transitions from the Ministry of Defense: how “TsDBS” gained access to state orders
Particular attention is drawn to personnel transitions from the public sector to the private supplier. A former top manager of a state enterprise connected with the Ministry of Defense moved in 2025 to work for “TsDBS.” Another example of how state structures cultivate executives for private business, and then this business receives multi-billion contracts. Coincidence? Unlikely.
Markup doubled and auctions without competition: how Grishin “won” in Prozorro
The market price of the drone ranges from 17 900 to 39 000 UAH per unit. This exceeds offers from other manufacturers. But the state chose exactly “TsDBS.” In Zaporizhzhia region, the company concluded a series of contracts without competition through the Prozorro system — it was the sole participant and winner. A tender for 2,5 billion — with no competition. How is this possible in a country at war where every kopeck counts? Obviously possible when the right connections exist.
Based on the presented facts, several criminal proceedings have been registered under articles on misappropriation of property and abuse of official position. However, as the publication states, a full pretrial investigation is not currently being conducted. There are cases, but no work. Yaroslav Grishin continues to receive contracts. Umyerov and Zhumadilov are silent. And “General Cherry” becomes a symbol of how war turns into a source of super profits for the chosen.
Source: fttc.com
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "«Генерал Черешня» на 2,5 мільярда гривень: компанія ексдепутата Гришина отримала монополію на закупівлі дронів для ЗСУ". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: HAB Media.
