Informational – analytic review of defense news by Defense and Security Policy Center
1. National Defence Capability: President appealed the high military financing issues to the Speaker
November, 13 the President of Ukraine V. Yushchenko called to the Parliament Speaker for account regarding a financing state of the Ukrainian military in this year and that planned for the upcoming year.
Comment: of the planned at General Fund 7.428,5 bln UAH the only 89,4% (6.640,3 bln UAH) have been granted from the Government to UAF; 4.221,6 bln UAH of Special Fund the UAF has received only 10,7% (452,3 mln UAH) and stabilization fund was imbued with 229,4 mln UAH of 1.221,1 bln which is equivalent of 18,8%.
There are not enough subsistence resources and to the end of this year over 124 mln UAH will be in shortage for this purpose, more than 60,5 mln UAH are the arrearage for utility and electricity payment; about 44 mln UAH are off for overseas deployment and 286 mln do not exist for wages pay.
2. Peacemaking: second round of UkrPolBat redeployment
November, 13 the second step of the 13th Ukrainian deployment in Kosovo has started.
Comment: a complete refill of 184 soldiers will take place during regrouping, which is schemed for two phases, which are by rail and by road. At the first phase, 81 peacekeepers by using rail transport, moved from Kiev to Sofia on November 11 and the rest of 98 are riding by road now.
The basis of present Ukrainian element is formed from 95th independent Airmobile Bde. Lt Col M.Zabrodskiy is appointed as commanding officer for this unit.
3. International Military Cooperation: High-level NATO-Ukraine meeting at NATO HQ
November 12, in Brussels at NATO HQ a regular meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Military Committee took place and conducted on senior representative level.
Comment: Ukraine was presented by key military persons from the General staff along with senior military representative of Ukraine Maj Gen P.Garashuk. The meeting agenda covered a set of issues regarding the development of operational capabilities for participation at the Alliance rapid-reaction forces, evaluation of the NATO-Ukraine Action Plan and prospective for the next January 2010 high-level Military Committee session. Ukrainians informed the forum of PARP units preparation progress and the legal framework refining for a participation at the NATO operations.
4. International Military Cooperation: NATO Headquarters hosts high-level Ukraine consultations
On 16 November, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen chaired the seventh Informal High-Level NATO-Ukraine Consultations with the participation of Defence Ministers and other senior officials from Ukraine and NATO countries, at NATO HQ in Brussels.
Comment: participants exchanged views on the ongoing transformation of Ukraine’s national Defence and Security structures and practices, particularly in the context of the current economic climate and Ukraine’s first Annual National Programme. Secretary General noted the significant progress achieved so far on defence reform, but stressed that, even faced with the current economic climate, Ukraine must persist with its goals of internal reform and alignment with Euro-Atlantic standards.
In speaking at the opening of the meeting, Mr Rasmussen said the national programme was an important step because it will help Ukraine to modernize, to the benefit of the Ukrainian people. He added that the Alliance will continue to support Ukraine along that journey. Before consultation it was planned to have an informal meeting between Ukrainian Minister of Defence and NATO Deputy Secretary General Jirzhi Shedevi and also, signing the official paper about forming of combined Ukrainian-Lithuanian-Poland Bde by Ukrainian Minister and his Lithuanian and Poland counterparts Mrs. R. Yknavichene and Mr. B.Klih.
5. International Military Cooperation: Participating at the Multinational helicopter initiative
From 9 to 13 November, representative of European Defence Agency and AugustaWestland experts visited Ukraine.
Comment: the visit pursuant to evaluate a training feasibility for overseas crews and logistic officers on their preparation for Mi-type helicopters, as well as possibility of international training center deployment within this project.
Staying in Ukraine, visitors attended training facilities in Chuguev Aviation Bde and Kharkiv Air University where they got acquainted a capacity for Mi helicopter pilots’ initial and follow-on training. Delegation has also visited the Kremenchuk Air College and familiarized with helicopter training base, and finally held a meeting with the Ukrainian General Staff officials on 12 November.
6. International military cooperation: Ukrainian military visited China
Military delegation from Ukraine headed by Air Force C-in-C General I. Rusnak, visited the China People Republic.
Comment: under a celebrating of 60th anniversary of China Air Forces in Beijing, Ukrainian military guests participated the Air Force forum and saw displayed modern air equipment. A number of meetings with foreign colleagues took place trough a visit, where Ukrainians discussed latest air force and air defence concepts and developments, have considered international and regional security issues. Ukrainian interest to purchase Chinese training plane L-15 was manifested during this visit.
7. Conversion issues: disposal of rocket fuel components
In pursuit of effective dispose of rocket fuel components from 195th Kalinivka depot, a working meeting between Ukraine military, OSCE experts and local officials was held on 12 November in Kalinivka of Vinnitsa region.
Comment: local administration gave thanks to OSCE and Ukrainian military for a significant assistance given for melange extraction. One thousand ton will be transported to Russia by the end of 2009. The first bulk of 500 ton of agent to be removed in November and it’s planned for a second operation in December. Since removal is ended the depot territory to be decontaminated by using of national contractors. The accepted losses for melange clearance from two depots in Kalinivka and Tsenzhiv are about 115,7 mln UAH. The effective operations will start in the second half of November and will continue to the end of next year with the result that Ukraine ultimately refused 3.168 of metric ton of mélange, a highly toxic liquid rocket fuel component that stored in Vinnitsa and I-Frankovsk regions. Provided of a successful project implementation, the OSCE Secretariat is minded to input a next grant for clearance of Radehiv and Shevchenkov depots.
8. Armed Forces and Society: Ecological training in Ukrainian Air Force
A third stage of ecological exercise was finished in Kiev on 13 November 2009.
Comment: the event involved commanding and flying staff from Air Command “Center” and its Tactical Avi Bde with participation of Swedish Royal environmental security expert group under a leadership of Lt Col A. Vessner. This exercise sought to amplify a level of familiarity with the environmental security matters among Ukrainian military and civil personnel. On this stage the participants have been studying the national and international legal frameworks, standards and objects. Swedish and Ukrainian experts conducted lessons and discussions with military and civilian students.
