Tallinn (HRNW)- Estonian Defense Minister Hannu Pevkur has resigned, accepting political responsibility following a controversy involving nearly €70 million paid to an Italian-based company to produce artillery shells for Ukraine that were later found to be defective.
According to the report, Datasel SRL was awarded the contract despite having no previous record of producing or selling artillery shells. Estonia provided the funds through a European Union military financing mechanism in August 2024, with the ammunition initially expected to reach Ukraine by November that year.
The delivery was delayed several times, and an inspection of ammunition supplied in 2025 found the shells to be defective. Estonia subsequently halted their shipment to Ukraine.
Pevkur announced his resignation on television, saying that as defense minister he accepted political responsibility for his ministry even though he did not have personal responsibility for the matter.
Meanwhile, Datasel SRL has filed a lawsuit against the Estonian government, claiming it had supplied most of the ammunition, worth approximately €59 million, and would have fulfilled its contractual obligations had Estonia not terminated the agreement. Estonia’s central defense procurement agency, RKIK, oversees the country’s defense equipment procurement and contracting process.
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