Sonderstab Ukraine: A secret unit of the Bundeswehr accelerating arms deliveries to Kiev

Sonderstab Ukraine has been operating within the structures of the German Ministry of Defense for several years - a secret cell that was established a few months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. The team, consisting of less than 20 people, was called a "partisan unit" among officials.

As revealed by the British Financial Times, Sonderstab Ukraine bypasses complicated tender procedures and its 13,000-strong contract. employees of the Bundeswehr purchasing agency.

Thanks to this, it is able to finalize the arms supply contract even within two weeks - a pace unattainable for most state structures. We have extremely short decision-making processes. This makes us efficient and flexible, emphasized General Joachim Kaschke, head of the unit, in an interview with "FT".

Sonderstab Ukraine operates in direct cooperation with the government in Kiev. Ukraine presents a list of the most urgent needs, and Kaschke's team verifies market prices and accepts orders. Payments are regulated by the German side, which allows for quick signing of contracts and immediate delivery of equipment.

We understood that if we want to support Ukraine fundamentally, we must involve our industry, explains Matthias Puschnig, a reserve officer working at Sonderstab. This approach allowed not only a quick response to the needs of the front, but also close cooperation between the German arms industry and the Ukrainian armed forces.

Sonderstab Ukraine financed, among others, deliveries of modern reconnaissance drones from the German start-up Quantum Systems, which played a key role during the battle over Donets Siewierski in May 2022. The unit is also responsible for the purchase of IRIS-T air defense systems, which effectively protect Ukrainian cities against Russian attacks.

Over time, the role of Sonderstab has changed significantly. From a purchasing unit, it transformed into a center for the exchange of combat and technological experience between the armed forces of both countries and the arms industry. The Bundeswehr gains access to valuable operational data, including: from the Ukrainian Delta integrated command system. Ukrainian soldiers regularly come to Germany, where they train German military personnel in the use and countering of drones.

After Donald Trump took office as US president in 2025, US military aid to Ukraine dropped to almost zero. In this situation, Germany became the largest supplier of military aid to Kiev. From 2022, Berlin has allocated tens of billions of euros to support Ukraine, and in 2026 the value of German military aid will reach EUR 11.5 billion.

Sonderstab's activities, although effective and quick, raised concerns about the possibility of abuse and corruption. General Kaschke firmly denies these allegations. He ensures that his team rigorously controls pricing and delivery stages, ensuring full transparency and financial security of the entire process.