Ukrainian govt resubordinates SpetsTechnoExport to Defense Ministry's Chief Intelligence Directorate

MOSCOW. Aug 15 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian government has agreed with a proposal by the Defense Ministry's intelligence agency on transferring SpetsTechnoExport, a subsidiary of the state-owned company Ukrspecexport, from the Defense Ministry purview to that of its Chief Intelligence Directorate.

Ukrainian media reported that directive No. 892 dated August 12 is published on the government's website.

Following February 24, the government separated SpetsTechnoExport along with Ukrspecexport, the state company for exports and imports of military and special products and services, and its subsidiary Special Foreign Trade Firm Progress from the Ukroboronprom state concern and placed them under the Defense Ministry's control during martial law.

The new directive says that, after the lifting of martial law, Ukrspecexport and Progress will be returned to Ukroboronprom, and SpetsTechnoExport will not.

According to SpetsTechnoExport's website, it was set up by the government in 1998. It specializes in exports and imports of defense industry products, innovation development, defense technical cooperation with partner countries and foreign companies. SpetsTechnoExport represents Ukrainian defense industry enterprises abroad (about 100 state companies, 70 private manufacturers, 35 research centers, and 30 design bureaus).

SpetsTechnoExport's sales declined in 2020 to 745.2 million hryvni from 3.174 billion hryvni in 2019, and its net revenue declined in the same period to 56.2 million hryvni from 78 million hryvni in this period. The relevant information for 2021 is unavailable for now.