Exchanging military victory for procurement points? The new incentive mechanism for frontline Ukrainian troops sparks controversy.

Reference News Network reported on July 27th
According to a report by Japan’s “Daily News” website on July 25th, the Ukrainian military is implementing an innovative initiative aimed at enhancing combat effectiveness and optimizing weapon procurement efficiency.
For frontline units, Ukraine has introduced a new system based on the types of enemy weapons destroyed, offering “reward points” for purchasing weapons through a dedicated online procurement platform. This initiative also includes direct procurement of military supplies from weapon manufacturers by various units.
The report highlights that this mechanism is reminiscent of war games and large-scale shopping websites like Amazon in the United States. Despite its controversial and critiqued nature, it reflects the challenging situation faced by Ukraine.
As introduced by Ukraine’s “United 24” platform, the government’s “UAV Combat Points” system, also known as the “ePoints” system, mandates that frontline units earn points for destroying Russian military equipment or killing enemy soldiers using drones. The specific scoring criteria are: killing soldiers earn 6 points, damaging tanks earn 20 points, destroying tanks earn 40 points, and destroying mobile artillery systems earn up to 50 points (depending on the caliber).
These points can then be used for weapon procurement by various units. For example, a domestically produced “Vampire” attack drone can be purchased with 43 points.
In an interview with the BBC, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Fedorov stated that the benefits of the points system are “to boost morale among frontline troops.”
However, this system also has drawbacks. It has led to situations where excessive focus on points results in the destruction of decommissioned enemy weapons or multiple units competing for a single victory. The points system has been criticized ethically, accused of diminishing the realism of war and accelerating its “gamification.” (Translated by Liu Jieqiu)
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has sparked multifaceted power struggles.