Ukrainian Armor

Ukrainian Armor LLC (Ukrainian: ТОВ «Українська бронетехніка», also rendered in English as Ukrainska Bronetekhnika) is a private Ukrainian defense-industry company headquartered in Kyiv. It designs and manufactures military and civilian-purpose equipment, including armored wheeled vehicles, medical evacuation vehicles, mortar launchers and mortar ammunition. The company is a member of the Association of Ukrainian Arms and Military Equipment Manufacturers. The company's modern identity took shape from 2015, when it began developing and producing armored wheeled vehicles — notably the VARTA and NOVATOR armored personnel carriers — in response to requirements from Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and National Guard. Before 2015 the legal entity operated under the name Ukrglavpak and specialized in plastic packaging. Its product line has since expanded to include the KAMRAT vehicle, the MP-60 60 mm, UPIK-82 82 mm and MP-120 120 mm mortar launchers, mortar rounds in 60 mm, 80 mm (silent), 82 mm and 120 mm calibers, and 122 mm ammunition for D-30 and 2S1 Gvozdika systems produced in cooperation with NATO-member enterprises. The company also modernizes military equipment, armors civilian vehicles, transfers technology for licensed assembly in end-user countries, and provides training, maintenance and spare-parts support. After Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian Armor became, according to The New York Times, the largest private arms supplier to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense. Sales reportedly reached about $350 million in the year following the invasion, compared with $2.8 million the year before. The company has reported doubling production of armored vehicles and mortars over the past year, and has publicly described funding shortages as a bottleneck for Ukraine's defense industry. It has also signed the Principles of Veteran-Friendly Business. Ukrainian Armor has been the subject of public controversy and legal scrutiny in Ukraine. In 2026 the company published an official position rebutting statements by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Office of the Prosecutor General, and reported that its First Deputy Director was beaten by SBU officers during what it called an illegal search. The company's director is Vladyslav Belbas, and the ultimate beneficiary is reported to be Serhiy Pashinsky.

Ukrainian Armor LLC traces its legal origins to a company named Ukrglavpak, which before 2015 specialized in the production of plastic packaging. From 2015 the enterprise was reoriented toward defense and began developing and manufacturing armored wheeled vehicles — the VARTA and NOVATOR — in line with the requirements of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and National Guard. This shift coincided with the broader expansion of Ukraine's defense industry after the outbreak of conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014. In 2016 the company presented the VARTA-REDUT, an MRAP-type armored vehicle based on the ZIL-131 truck chassis, at the Arms and Security exhibition. In March 2021 Ukrainian Armor took part in a Ministry of Defense competition to replace Soviet-era UAZ-469 vehicles. The company also reported plans in 2021 to complete development of components for the Vilha-M multiple rocket launcher system, produce a prototype, conduct tests and prepare for serial production, and it modernized Soviet ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns to the ZU-23-UB modification. Financially, the company's published statements showed a sharp deterioration in 2020: net revenue fell almost tenfold from UAH 1.15 billion in 2019 to UAH 124 million in 2020 (an 89% decline), and net profit swung from UAH 11.5 million profit in 2019 to UAH 57.2 million loss in 2020 (a 597% drop). Cost of goods sold fell to UAH 122 million from UAH 1.1 billion. Average headcount was 78 in 2020 versus 83 in 2019, and payroll costs declined 3.6% from UAH 13.4 million to UAH 12.9 million. After Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukrainian Armor's trajectory changed dramatically. According to The New York Times, the company became the largest private arms supplier to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense. Sales reached about $350 million in the year following the invasion, compared with $2.8 million the year before. Once production capacity was restored and expanded, the company continued manufacturing 60 mm (MP-60), 82 mm (UPIK-82) and 120 mm (MP-120) mortars. By the end of August 2023 it had delivered more than 600 units to the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the start of that year, supplied both through state and volunteer funding. It also produces 60 mm and 120 mm mortar rounds and 122 mm ammunition for D-30 and 2S1 Gvozdika systems in cooperation with enterprises from NATO member countries. During the invasion the company also manufactured and modernized NOVATOR armored vehicles. Development of the Smerka self-propelled mortar was frozen because the shift from maneuver warfare to positional warfare changed the approach to artillery; according to CEO Vladyslav Belbas, 20–30 conventional mortars are more useful than one self-propelled mortar. In July 2025 The New York Times reported that Ukrainian Armor had doubled production of armored vehicles and mortars over the past year, while noting that Ukraine's defense industry could produce $35 billion worth of equipment annually but manufactures only about $15 billion due to limited funding. The company also signed the Principles of Veteran-Friendly Business. In July 2026 Ukrainian Armor published an official position rebutting statements by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Office of the Prosecutor General, asserting that it is one of the most reliable and disciplined suppliers to Ukraine's Defense Forces and denying that it is a foreign intermediary through which state funds disappeared. It also stated that its First Deputy Director was beaten by SBU officers during what it described as an illegal search, and criticized the effect on foreign investment in Ukraine.

• 2026

  Published official position rebutting SBU and Prosecutor General statements; reported First Deputy Director beaten during an SBU search.

• 2025

  The New York Times reported the company doubled production of armored vehicles and mortars over the past year; signed the Principles of Veteran-Friendly Business.

• 2023

  By end of August, delivered more than 600 mortars to the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the start of the year; Smerka self-propelled mortar development frozen.

• 2022

  After Russia's full-scale invasion, became the largest private arms supplier to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, with sales reaching about $350 million in the following year.

• 2021

  Participated in a Ministry of Defense competition to replace Soviet-era UAZ-469 vehicles; reported plans to develop Vilha-M rocket system components.

• 2016

  Presented the VARTA-REDUT MRAP-type armored vehicle at the Arms and Security exhibition.

• 2015

  Company reoriented from plastic packaging (as Ukrglavpak) to defense, beginning development and production of VARTA and NOVATOR armored wheeled vehicles.

Private Ukrainian defense manufacturer and one of the largest private suppliers to Ukraine's Defense Forces, offering armored vehicles, mortars, ammunition and technology transfer.

• VARTA armored personnel carrier

  4x4 armored vehicle on MAZ-5434 truck chassis; protection against 7.62×39 mm armor-piercing bullets, V-shaped hull, withstands 6 kg TNT mine blast; weight 17.5 t; can be modified for personnel transport, command-staff, medical evacuation and self-propelled mortar roles.

• NOVATOR armored vehicle

  4x4 armored vehicle on Ford F-550 off-road chassis; protection against standard 7.62 mm bullets, hull withstands two RGD-5 hand grenades; gross weight 9 t.

• KAMRAT armored vehicle

  Specialized armored vehicle produced in various modifications for surveillance, reconnaissance, border patrol, special missions, personnel carrier and medical evacuation.

• VARTA-REDUT

  MRAP-type armored vehicle on ZIL-131 truck chassis, presented in 2016.

• VARTA 2

  4x4 armored vehicle with STANAG 4569 protection; weight 10.5 t.

• Protector

  Armored ground robotic complex.

• MP-60 60 mm mortar launcher

  60 mm mortar launcher.

• UB 81 81 mm mortar

  81 mm mortar.

• UPIK-82 82 mm mortar launcher

  82 mm mortar launcher.

• MP-120 120 mm mortar launcher

  120 mm mortar launcher.

• Smerka self-propelled mortar

  120 mm self-propelled mortar; development frozen as of 2023.

• Mortar ammunition

  60 mm, 80 mm (silent), 82 mm and 120 mm mortar rounds; company produces external shells only and orders chemical fuses.

• 122 mm ammunition

  122 mm ammunition for D-30 and 2S1 Gvozdika systems, produced in cooperation with NATO-member enterprises.

1. 1Design and manufacturing companyukrarmor.com
2. 2About us | Ukrainian Armorukrarmor.com
3. 3Products | Ukrainian Armorukrarmor.com
4. 4Civil | Ukrainian Armorukrarmor.com
5. 5Ukrainska Bronetekhnikawikidata.org
6. 6Українська бронетехніка (підприємство)uk.wikipedia.org