Fuel without delays: what this means for combat units
20 February 15:28
In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, more than 50% of fuel requests are now fulfilled in less than 24 hours. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, explaining the result of the implementation of the digital Logistics Support Management (LSM) system in the field of fuel and lubricants, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to the ministry, the process from submitting a digital request to actually receiving fuel now takes from a few hours to 2-3 days, instead of the lengthy procedures of the “paper army.”
What has changed
The system has already been launched in 600 military units. It has 700 users, and more than 1,600 military personnel have been trained.
Now all fuel requests are
- are submitted through a single digital platform,
- go through more than 100 approval routes (depending on the chain of command),
- automatically monitored for deadlines and volumes.
At any time, you can see:
- the status of your request,
- who is responsible for it,
- whether it complies with the contract terms and available resources.
The system does not allow you to receive more fuel than agreed upon or outside the established deadlines.
From a “paper army” to real-time analytics
The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that ULZ provides an end-to-end process — from application to actual fuel delivery.
The command receives a complete picture:
- contracted supply volumes,
- remaining stocks in warehouses and bases,
- the actual needs of units,
- speed of application processing.
The system generates real-time analytics, allowing bottlenecks to be identified and processes to be adjusted.
The technological basis is the SAP platform — a resource management solution used by more than 90% of NATO countries’ armies.
Why is this important during wartime?
Fuel is one of the critical resources for combat operations. The speed of its delivery directly affects the mobility of units, the operation of equipment, and logistics routes.
Digitalization reduces:
- the human factor,
- bureaucratic delays,
- the risk of inconsistencies between different levels of management.
At the same time, it increases transparency and control, which is important for both operational efficiency and the prevention of abuse.
Part of a broader transformation
The launch of the ULZ comes amid a large-scale modernization of the defense sector.
Earlier, the state announced that it would allocate UAH 1 billion to compensate interest on loans for defense industry enterprises. According to the Ministry of Defense, the capacity of the Ukrainian defense industry has grown from $1 billion to $35 billion in recent years.
In 2025, Ukrainian defense industry enterprises increased their production of weapons by 1.5 times, and manufacturers received 30 licenses to use technologies developed within the Ministry of Defense.
Thus, digital logistics is becoming part of a larger reform — the transition to a data-driven model of defense resource management.
The key challenges remain:
- scaling the system to other areas of support,
- cybersecurity,
- integration with other accounting and contract modules.
If the system proves effective in the field of fuel and lubricants, it could become the basis for a complete digital transformation of the army’s logistical support.
