Informational – analytic review of defense news by Defense and Security Policy Center
1. Defence Planning: Financing of the Armed Forces in 2010
On December 11, Ukrainian Prime Minister U. Timoshenko during celebrating the Ground Forces day in the national officers club made it known that since next year, the Government will cease a financing of Defence budget by using margins from a special fund.
Comment: in accordance with 2009 State budget the MOD debit was planned of around 11,6 bln UAH, where 4,2 bln UAH are proceeds from special fund capitals. Over eleven months of this year special fund has been filled out less than 10% of what was planned. A long practice proved that no expectations to make it more then 1 bln UAH in the future. None of European militaries have a split budget but are being financed solely from a general fund. According to Prime Minister, Ukrainian Government stands to close down, since next January, a using of special fund as a part of military budgeting.
2. Combat Training: commanders’ flights in Ukrainian Air Forces
During 8 - 10 December, the tactical Air Bde of Air Command “South” in Crimea was hosting a pilots from Ukrainian Air Forces and supporting a training and demonstration flights for crew’ commanders.
Comment: the common thinking and identic methodology of piloting technique were elaborated in the training. Air staff, air control personnel and aircrafts were engaged in exercises. On December 09 and 10 there day-night flights were effectively conducted.
3. Staff training: testing of military authorities’ readiness state
On December 08, readiness training has started in Operational Command “North”, where military HQs, combat and support units, and recruit Centers were being tested on their effectiveness.
Comment: an enhancement of unit integrity and staff cohesion were the main goals during exercise. Over two days’ of drill there were manning and replacement depots deployed, arriving progress was tested.
4. Peacekeeping: 12th rotation of Ukrainian helicopter unit in Liberia
Under first stage of rotation, on December 08, at 06.00 AM first 150 peacekeepers of 56th independent Helicopter Detachment (IHD) has left Mikolaiv Airport (Ukraine) directing steps to Liberia where they will start to relive earlier deployed unit.
Comment: an advance party of 9 officers from the General Staff and MOD moved with peacekeepers to support redeployment and make it smooth. A second stage to be completed by December 22. This unit was formed on 11th independent helicopter Regt of 79th Air Mobile Bde.
56th IHD has been executing its mission with UNMIL since January 2004. The total strength is 300 men, it use 8 Mi-8 and 6 Mi-24 helicopters.
The detachment was tasked to perform transporting of personnel and cargo, MEDEVAC/CASEVAC conduct, air patrolling surveillance and specific missions.
5. International cooperation: “Defence management in democratic society” course.
The students of “Defence management in democratic society” course, that was onducted on Simulating Center of National Defence Academy, have been certified, on December 11.
Comment: two-week course was arranged under the 2009 bilateral Defence cooperation Program between military ministers of Ukraine and UK. Over 30 representatives from Ukrainian MOD, General Staff, National Security Council, Ministries of Interior and International Affairs, National strategic research institute, NGOs were mastering a CIMIC expertise of EU and NATO.
Experts form UK Defence Academy and Cranfield University that doing research of defence management matters shared their materials in Kiev. Participants have learned a reformation and development of the state security sector, strategic defence reviewing rules and regulations and risk management system. During practical classes, much attention was also given to a searching for the ways of transparency and accountability habituation in traditionally covered structures. “Chatting rooms” perfected “instructor-student” contact, allowed share views and productive discussions.
6. International cooperation: Ukrainian-Brazilian partnership
Official meeting between Ukrainian Chief of General Staff Col Gen I. Svida and Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ambassador of Brazil Mrs. Lola Roldan Vaskes de Moan took place in Kiev, on December, 10.
Comment: parties were discussing a bilateral military cooperation between countries, its development prospects, especially focused toward technological aspects. Col Gen I. Svida noted the potential ways of cooperation between both militaries might not be only in military technical interaction, but in military leadership contacts establishment, education cooperation and in joint training as well.
7. International military cooperation: 17th anniversary of Kiev Military Attaché Association
On December 10, Kiev Military Attaché Association laid on a ceremony with the occasion of 17th anniversary of Association creation, where representatives from MOD and General Staff of Ukraine were invited.
Comment: the high military participants were the acting Minister of Defence Mr. V. Ivashenko, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Intelligence Department Director and others. A sense of achievement Mr. V. Ivashenko has expressed while addressing a meeting. The event was resulted in signing of an Agreement between Association and Kiev National University named T. Shevchenko about initiation of Ukrainian and Russian language courses in University.
Note: Association was found in November 1992. Today’s Association is merging of military diplomats from 50 countries, accredited for their assignment in Ukraine. Its main activity is to ensure close cooperation with Ukrainian MOD, Governmental and Nongovernmental Organizations.
8. NATO-Ukraine: staff talks with NATO experts
During of 09 – 11 December, a second round of staff talks between NATO and Ukrainian militaries has been holding in Mons.
Comment: the main agenda was to come to a completion of Implementation Program of the Ukraine-NATO Military Committee 2010-2011 Work Plan and to make up a general guideline for cooperation in 2011-2012. In result of three-day joint work, teams have concerted a final version of Ukraine-NATO 2010-2011 Work Plan.
9. Weapons and military equipment: procurement and equipment modernization
On December, 11 acting Minister of Defence Mr. V. Ivashenko and acting Minister of Finance Mr. I. Umanskiy signed a joint order “On amendment of the Budget Program in 2009”
Comment: the document is altering the 2009 MOD Budget Program “Military equipment making, procurement and modernization on Governmental order”. A total amount of finance for this purpose is 182.5 mln UAH and to be given from Special fund. The tank T-64 will be upgraded to “BULAT”-type MBT on 100 mln UAH; the upgrade of Mi-24 helicopter will consume 74 mln UAH and a newly designed multifunction theatre missile system will take 8.5 mln UAH.
The certain projects to be kept as well. “Corvette”-type advanced vessel will be funded with 79 mln UAH; “OPLOT” MBT – 40 mln UAH and An-70 transport aircraft project will take up of 30 mln UAH. Additional 51 mln UAH will be assigned for buying a reactive armor system for “BULAT” MBT protection and upgrade of Mi-8/Mi-24 helicopters which are currently being involved in peacekeeping operations.
