Overpriced prices and lack of competition: investigation into multi-million contracts around the “General Cherry”

The focus of law enforcement and the media has fallen on a new favorite of defense contracts — an FPV drone with the telling name “General Cherry.” Within a few months, this product, promoted by well-known figures, received multi-billion state orders. However, the price at which the state buys the equipment and the suppliers' methods raise many questions in society.

This is reported by FTTC.

The ascent of “General Cherry”: from idea to multi-billion contracts

The success story of this drone began in spring 2025, when the model successfully passed codification through the relevant department of the Ministry of Defense. Behind this project are clearly the figures of former Zaporizhzhia deputy and lawyer Yaroslav Hryshyn and his circle. As soon as the product received the green light, the volumes of state orders through the Defense Procurement Agency began to rise rapidly, shooting up tens of times and reaching unimaginable 4,5 billion hryvnias in just the first half of the year.

Interestingly, right alongside this process, other familiar faces were involved: relatives and former colleagues worked in relevant state procurement structures, and management positions in the manufacturing company were held by long-time business partners and lawyers from Hryshyn's orbit.

Double pricing and lack of competition

The most notable aspect of this story is the financial side of the question. If the market value of similar FPV drones fluctuates within 10–18 thousand hryvnias, then why did state structures buy “General Cherry” at prices from 17,9 to 39 thousand hryvnias? The technical requirements for the tenders were often written so specifically that they excluded any alternative manufacturers, allowing the company to win bids without any competition.