Estonian Defense Ministry review finds documentation and risk-check gaps in Datasel contracts
A working group at Estonia's Ministry of Defense reviewing contracts with ammunition supplier Datasel found shortcomings in background checks and record-keeping, but no evidence that documents were deliberately hidden or deleted.
A review of contracts with ammunition supplier Datasel by Estonia's Ministry of Defense has identified shortcomings in supplier vetting, risk assessment and documentation. The working group found no evidence that records were deliberately concealed or deleted. Ministry Permanent Secretary Kristjan Mäe presented the findings to the Anti-Corruption Select Committee of the Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament. The contracts concern ammunition deliveries to Ukraine.
What was examined
Ten staff from the ministry and the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (RKIK) prepared the report. They went through 428 gigabytes of material from document management systems, classified information registers, email inboxes and other official platforms. Mäe stressed that the aim was not to look for legal violations or assign personal responsibility, which he said is a matter for investigative authorities.
The contracts, funded through the European Peace Facility, were signed when Ukraine's armed forces urgently needed artillery and other ammunition. According to Mäe, few potential suppliers could deliver suitable ammunition quickly, and Estonia had no prior experience with them, which increased risk. He said the risks were not serious enough to justify declining to sign. Using the Facility's funds alone, RKIK delivered 93,268 rounds to Ukraine worth nearly €145 million.
Main shortcomings
Mäe said the reasons for choosing contractors and the background checks were not systematically documented, records were not always retrievable or tied to specific contracts, and meeting minutes did not always reflect discussions or reasoning. The quality of memorandums prepared for decisions was uneven. RKIK lacks the legal basis and database access to run independent checks.
The first identified contact with Datasel's intermediary dates to December 1, 2023, when intermediary Erik Malmsten sent a calendar invitation for a meeting to RKIK's director general, according to RKIK Deputy Director General Asko Kivinuk.
Mäe concluded that decision-making and contract signing generally met the requirements in force. In the five Datasel contracts, he said, supplier-specific risks gradually materialized during 2025, involving delivery capacity, component availability and deadlines. Advance payments were made within a short period, so RKIK could not detect delays or nonconforming goods before later payments fell due.
The full report cannot be made public because of trade secrets, but committee members will be able to review it and the contracts.
