Germany’s secretive ‘Sonderstab Ukraine’ fast-tracks weapons deals for Kyiv in as little as two weeks, FT reports

A small, standalone unit inside Germany’s Defense Ministry known as the “Sonderstab Ukraine” can arrange weapons deals for Kyiv in just two weeks — a fraction of the time other departments take when bogged down by the bureaucracy of domestic procurement, the Financial Times reports.

The unit’s head, Brigadier General Joachim Kaschke, said, “We have extremely short decision-making chains. That makes us agile and flexible.”

The Ukraine unit was formed in 2022, a few months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and quickly earned a reputation as a responsive, efficient body, the FT writes. Because Ukraine’s government — not Germany’s — signed the contracts, the unit sidestepped German procurement rules.

Since then, the unit’s role has shifted several times as Germany moved from cautious support to becoming one of Kyiv’s main partners. Over the past year, the Sonderstab has become a hub where the German and Ukrainian defense ministries and defense companies exchange experience and technology.

The unit remains compact today, employing fewer than 20 people. “It’s got a bit of a start-up vibe,” said a source familiar with the team’s work. “They have a very deep knowledge of systems: what works . . . and what is overpriced, glitzy nonsense.”

Germany is one of Ukraine’s key allies. In September, German authorities decided to transfer some of their own stockpiled anti-aircraft missiles for American Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine, which needs them to repel Russian missile strikes. A recent ARD-Deutschlandtrend poll showed that 39% of respondents in western Germany consider weapons deliveries to Ukraine excessive, compared with 54% in the east.