NATO experts have promised to help Ukraine dispose of ammunition and destroy some surplus and outdated weapons in Novobohdanivka, Zaporizhzhia oblast. The alliance plans to offer Kyiv not only consultations but also the required technologies and special equipment to help clean up in the shortest possible time the hazardous area affected by last year’s explosion.
Last week NATO experts negotiated with representatives of the ministries of defense and foreign affairs, as well as embassies about implementing the NATO/Partnership for Peace (PFP) Trust Fund project to dispose of and destroy surplus ammunition in Ukraine. The PFP target-oriented fund will provide money for the acquisition and updating of the disposal equipment as well as for the actual destruction of about 133,000 tons of ammunition, 1,500,000 small arms and light weapons, and 1,000 portable antiaircraft missiles. According to Volodymyr Popovych, director of the Missile and Ammunition Disposal Department at the Ministry of Defense, the 12-year-long project will be carried out in 4 phases. The first 3-year phase will be largely dealt with by the United States. Britain and Norway have also allotted funds for this project. At the request of Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs, a group of NATO experts has studied the problems that arose following a series of fatal explosions at the Novobohdanivka munitions dump last year. After a two-day visit to the depot the experts noted that the situation there is quite dangerous: exploded or damaged ammunition is scattered all over the place, the blasts blew out a number of craters, and the land is grassed over, which makes it difficult to spot the remaining ammunition. The problem is how to clean up this territory, remove, and dispose of the remaining “dangerous arsenal.” NATO is now helping to draw up a plan to solve this problem and choose the best technologies.
Mr. Popovych pointed out that bidding will be starting soon for national companies to do the first phase of work. Bids will be invited from enterprises that deal with the disposal and destruction of ammunition or have adequate industrial and technical capability and experience. He emphasized that the job that will be done in Novobohdanivka is not a classic system of disposal and requires special attention from those who will be carrying out the disposal.
