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05.11.25 22:58 3 683 2

Vehicles for front. Funding, administrative changes, service network, and volunteer involvement

Author: Valdas Bartkevičius

We are almost nearing the completion of #MissionOctober25. The support situation keeps getting worse.

Our citizens are not inspired by talk of so-called "peace," nor by false claims of a "rapid collapse of Russia," nor by Russian propaganda about Ukrainians supposedly driving Teslas, Bugattis, and other luxury cars in Monaco. Such people do exist, but war is not only about trenches — it’s also a story of certain individuals enriching themselves, or simply of how different people stay true to themselves in wartime. We live in a capitalist system governed by market laws and competition.

However, political processes in Ukraine cannot function normally because of the war and other circumstances — people cannot freely participate in elections or change the government through democratic means. As a result, political competition often fails to work, which directly affects the delivery of vehicles to the front.

The government has recognized that the problem exists. Following the President’s visits to frontline areas, a decision was made: funding for vehicle procurement should not be transferred solely through the central command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; brigades themselves must handle purchases according to their own needs. This is the right approach, as a single brigade may require hundreds of pickup trucks a year — especially during intense FPV drone attacks, when demand increases dramatically.

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Key problems and risks

1. Bureaucracy and taxes

Requirements for vehicles to meet specific model years, mileage limits, and be registered in Ukraine create significant additional costs. Import duties, VAT, and other fees substantially increase the final price — to the point where an older but suitable pickup becomes more expensive than a new one. Unless these regulations are revised, vehicles will remain prohibitively costly, and it will be impossible to purchase the required number.

2. The problem of right-hand drive vehicles

The market is flooded with cheaper and often higher-quality right-hand drive vehicles, yet their registration is either prohibited or requires additional technical inspections. The logistics of preparing such vehicles are more complicated. Any bans or bureaucratic obstacles to right-hand drive cars would drastically reduce supply volumes.

3. Corruption and market influence

If purchases are made "through the market" without special oversight mechanisms, it opens the door to corruption and profiteering from the crisis. Businesses naturally seek to make money where they see opportunity. Unless the government introduces preferential conditions and supports volunteers and charitable foundations that have been collecting funds, repairing, and delivering vehicles to the front for years, the market will push them out and the money will be wasted.

4. Wrong choice of vehicle class

If cheap new cars (for instance, Chinese models costing €20,000–25,000) are purchased, they may reach the front but will quickly break down: there’s a lack of spare parts, specialists, and warranty support. Older, proven models such as Nissan or Mitsubishi — though they may appear more expensive — last longer and are easier to repair on-site. It’s important to understand that new vehicles are often less powerful, and their environmental standards are ill-suited to frontline conditions.

5. Logistics and service network

A vehicle only has real value if there’s a functioning maintenance system: service stations, specialized workshops, spare parts supply chains, training centers for mechanics, and technical bases where vehicles are prepared for the front (armor installation, modification, equipment setup). The state currently lacks such a system, and there is little time to build one. Educational institutions are ready to help but political will is required, not just the initiative of foreign volunteers.

6. Delays in funding

It is reported that brigades will receive their allocated funds only after the New Year. A six-month delay means the vehicles will not reach the front in time. With 110 brigades requiring several million hryvnias each month, the market simply cannot sustain such volumes without exemptions (customs relief, coordinated imports, state contracts, or the involvement of major manufacturers). These vehicles are needed not today but yesterday.

7. Recommendations at the state level

If the government wants procurement to be fast, transparent, and efficient, it must establish special mechanisms: tax incentives, simplified registration for certain vehicle classes, clear public procurement rules, and priority access for funds and volunteers who already repair, deliver, and report openly. Volunteer-based logistics are not only more cost-effective — they also ensure continuous communication between those on the front lines and the rear, including foreign partners.

8. Mobilizing volunteer potential

In Lithuania and other countries, there are hundreds of volunteers and thousands of people capable of repairing, delivering, and adapting vehicles for frontline use. What’s needed is not only funding, but also systemic engagement, institutional support, logistics, and administrative decisions that allow for swift action.

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Conclusions and recommendations

• Vehicle procurement cannot be left to "market laws" alone. Tax, customs, and registration exemptions are needed for vehicles suitable for frontline use.

• Priority should be given to established charitable foundations and volunteer networks that have been repairing and delivering vehicles to the front for years.

• Investment is needed in maintenance infrastructure, workshops, spare parts, and mechanic training, to cut costs and improve efficiency.

• Introduce funding mechanisms with transparent reporting to minimize corruption risks.

• Consider temporary exemptions from customs duties/taxes or special licensing for right-hand drive vehicles to increase availability.

• Integrate volunteers into official structures: the state provides the framework, while volunteers deliver flexibility and speed.

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We can purchase vehicles "legally," but if the system fails to reflect reality, there will simply be no equipment. What’s needed is a comprehensive solution: funding, administrative reform, a service network, and volunteer engagement.

As the situation at the front changes daily, the time to act has long since passed. If we want vehicles to reach the front here and now, several things are essential: transparency, tax relief, volunteer support, and the development of a logistical framework.

I keep writing about this issue and want us to be heard both in Lithuania and in Ukraine. But most importantly, we must act today. The front needs vehicles now, not tomorrow.

Until the state creates an effective mechanism, volunteer networks and civic initiatives will remain the main driving force delivering equipment to the front lines. They must be supported, integrated, and granted tax and administrative benefits. This is the only practical way to quickly provide brigades with the vehicles they need.

#mažasiskonvojus needs your support for an ongoing fundraiser to supply pickup trucks and other vehicles.

https://mazasiskonvojus.lt/uk/pidtrymka-ukrainy/

For an ambulance for the 91st Separate Support Brigade

We are raising funds for an ambulance vehicle for the 91st Separate Support Brigade.

Goal:: 350 000 ₴