Arms and Security (Zbroya ta Bezpeka) is Ukraine's leading defence and security trade fair, historically held annually in Kyiv at the International Exhibition Centre. Operating under the patronage of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine since 2004, it is, when it runs, the single largest concentration of Ukrainian defence industry on any exhibition floor, complemented by an expanding cohort of international partners drawn by Ukraine's wartime experience.
Arms and Security (Ukrainian: "Zbroya ta Bezpeka") is an annual international specialised exhibition of weapons, military equipment and security technology held in Kyiv, Ukraine. Organised by the International Exhibition Centre and conducted under the formal patronage of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the event has taken place most years since its inaugural edition in September 2004, with disruptions in 2020-2021 (COVID-19) and 2023 (full-scale Russian invasion). It brings together manufacturers, government procurement authorities, military delegations and allied nations' defence industries. The exhibition is a trade-access event: attendance is restricted to credentialled professionals and official delegations.
The exhibition was established by a 2004 decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, reflecting the country's strategic decision to develop and showcase a domestic defence industrial base. Over its first decade it grew steadily from a modest national showcase into an internationally attended event. By 2018 it counted 456 Ukrainian participants and 47 foreign exhibitors from 17 countries, with Poland, Turkey and the Czech Republic appearing for the first time. In 2019 the figure was over 320 Ukrainian participants and 48 foreign ones from 16 countries.
The 2020 edition was postponed to June 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions. In 2023 the exhibition was suspended because of the Russian invasion and replaced by a one-day International Defence Industries Forum held in Kyiv on 29 September 2023. The event resumed in 2024, held 28-30 May 2024. No public reporting of a 2025 edition having taken place was found, and as of August 2026 the organiser has not announced dates for a 2026 edition (see below).
As of this update, no official dates have been announced for a 2026 edition. The organiser's own event page (iec-expo.com.ua) states that dates and venue are "being clarified" and directs visitors to check for updates, and the exhibition does not appear in the International Exhibition Centre's published 2026 exhibition calendar. Third-party trade fair aggregators are split: some still carry forward a placeholder September 2026 date, while eventseye.com's listing marks that date as postponed and points tentatively to September 2027. The exhibition's English-language website (arms-security.com.ua/en/) has returned a 404 error consistently since at least December 2025, and the domain's root has intermittently returned 403 (forbidden) since late 2024, so there is currently no live, authoritative source publishing 2026 details. A Ukrainian exhibition directory (agroc.com.ua) states that organisation of large-scale public defence exhibitions of this type has been affected by wartime conditions, with organisers shifting toward closed, invitation-only formats. Prospective attendees should treat any "September 2026" date seen on aggregator listings as unconfirmed and contact the IEC directly (zbroya@iec-expo.com.ua) before making travel arrangements. If the 2026 edition is confirmed to proceed, the exhibition is expected to maintain its core proposition: approximately 250 Ukrainian defence enterprises on a single floor, a number that cannot be replicated at any foreign defence exhibition where Ukrainian representation typically runs to 5-15 companies, alongside international partners from allied nations.
Arms and Security occupies a unique position as the sole annual national defence show in a country at war. It fills the gap left by the suspension of larger regional fairs and serves as an operational business platform where procurement and co-production discussions take place under live wartime conditions. It is geographically proximate to the conflict zone, which gives it an immediacy and seriousness absent from peacetime exhibitions elsewhere. It is broadly comparable in national significance to MSPO in Poland or IDET in the Czech Republic, though its wartime context makes direct comparison difficult.
Exhibitors are predominantly Ukrainian defence manufacturers spanning small arms, armoured vehicles, drones, communications systems, electronic warfare, munitions, personal protective equipment and dual-use technologies. International exhibitors from partner nations -- including established defence primes and specialist SMEs -- also take space. On the visitor side, the event draws Ukrainian armed forces procurement officers, Ministry of Defence officials, allied military attaches, foreign delegations from NATO and partner nations, and international investors exploring co-production opportunities with Ukrainian industry.
The exhibition is structured around an open display floor at the IEC with indoor and, in some editions, outdoor static display areas. Exhibitors present live hardware alongside brochure-level system information. There are parallel conference and forum sessions where procurement policy, defence-industrial cooperation and export-import frameworks are discussed. Bilateral meeting arrangements between Ukrainian companies and foreign delegations are facilitated by the organiser and by the State Export Control Service of Ukraine.
Key technology areas represented at the exhibition include:
| Exact dates | not officially announced; 2026 edition status unconfirmed |
| Exhibiting countries | not disclosed |
| Ukrainian exhibitors | not disclosed (approx. 250 in recent editions) |
| Foreign exhibitors | not disclosed |
| Total visitors | not disclosed |
| Venue | International Exhibition Centre, Kyiv |
No. The exhibition is a credentialled trade and professional event. Entry requires registration as an industry representative, government official, or accredited media. Members of the general public are not admitted, reflecting the sensitive nature of the products on display.
It was suspended in 2023 and replaced by a one-day forum, then resumed in May 2024. As of August 2026, the organiser has not confirmed dates for a 2026 edition, and several signals (aggregator listings marking the date postponed, absence from the IEC's own 2026 calendar, an inaccessible official website) point to the edition being delayed rather than proceeding as previously assumed. Separately, a Russian missile strike on 24 July 2026 killed at least ten people and injured over a hundred at an unrelated, closed-invitation defence-industry gathering in Kyiv Oblast, not at the IEC and not part of Arms and Security. That incident has intensified security scrutiny of publicly announced defence gatherings in Ukraine generally and is a plausible part of the backdrop to organisers' current caution about confirming 2026 exhibition dates. Security arrangements at the IEC and air-raid shelter protocols have been in place for attendees at past editions. Participation decisions remain subject to each company's own risk assessment regarding travel to Kyiv.
Ukraine's defence industry has accumulated unparalleled real-world data on the performance of its equipment under active combat conditions. For international defence companies, Arms and Security offers direct access to this knowledge, co-production partnerships and a market that is receiving significant allied funding for defence procurement.
The International Exhibition Centre is located at 15 Brovarskyi Avenue, Kyiv, accessible from Livoberezhna metro station on the Blue Line. It is the largest exhibition complex in Ukraine, with multiple halls offering indoor display space. The venue is managed by IEC itself, which also serves as organiser of Arms and Security. The site includes outdoor areas that can host static vehicle and equipment displays. Capacity in pre-war editions accommodated several hundred exhibiting companies. The IEC operates under wartime security protocols and has continued to host events throughout the conflict.
Arms and Security is the clearest window into Ukraine's defence-industrial base -- a wartime platform where procurement is not hypothetical and every product on display carries the weight of battlefield validation. Whether that window opens again in 2026 is, for now, an open question.
Registration is handled by the IEC organiser via the official event email and the IEC website (iec-expo.com.ua). Exhibitor packages, visitor accreditation and official delegation registration are managed separately. Pricing for exhibitor space is not publicly listed and is obtained by direct enquiry. Visitor accreditation for professional attendees is not disclosed as a paid entry; credentialled professionals typically receive complimentary access on application. Foreign delegations should contact the IEC International Affairs team well in advance. As of August 2026 the dedicated event website (arms-security.com.ua) is intermittently inaccessible and 2026 dates have not been published; prospective exhibitors and visitors should contact the IEC directly (zbroya@iec-expo.com.ua) to confirm whether and when a 2026 edition will proceed before making travel arrangements.
Ukraine is under martial law. Foreign nationals travelling to Kyiv should consult their own government's travel advisory for Ukraine before making arrangements. Visas are required for some nationalities; Ukraine operates an e-visa system. Air access to Kyiv is limited to overland or third-country routing due to the suspension of commercial aviation. Attendees typically travel via train from neighbouring EU countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary) or via Chisinau, Moldova.
Yes. The IEC operates standard exhibition security plus wartime protocols including air-raid alert procedures. The venue has shelter facilities. Exhibitors and visitors should familiarise themselves with the alert system and emergency routes on arrival.
Ukraine uses the hryvnia (UAH). Major international cards (Visa, Mastercard) are widely accepted in Kyiv. ATM coverage is good in central Kyiv. Foreign companies exhibiting may face additional administrative requirements for currency exchange and contracting under martial law regulations; engage a local agent or legal counsel in advance.
The guidance below assumes a 2026 edition proceeds; confirm actual dates with the IEC before acting on any of it (see status note above).
| Official website | https://arms-security.com.ua/en/ |
| IEC organiser site | https://www.iec-expo.com.ua/en |
| not disclosed | |
| X | not disclosed |
| Register | https://arms-security.com.ua/en/ |
| Programme | not disclosed |