On February 21, the special interdepartmental work group, established by presidential order to identify new guidelines in the development of the nation’s Armed Forces with due account of current economic and geopolitical realities, held its second meeting in Kyiv.
This commission comprises representatives of the agencies responsible for this country’s foreign, financial, and military policies. Last month, the commission, relying on the conclusions of diplomats, intelligence officers, and analysts, devoted much of time to discussing possible and existing threats to the security of our nonaligned state in the new geopolitical realities. The point is that we now face NATO expansion as far as Ukraine’s borders, the establishment of the Russian-Belarusian Union, and other circumstances. One way or another, the new realities must be taken into account when building our defense. The conclusions of the interdepartmental commission’s previous sitting were, of course, kept in secret in order not to shock our neighbors with our, so to speak, tough pragmatism.
As to identifying Ukraine’s further aspirations in the defense sphere, there are at least two points of view. The first is to adopt on the basis of the recommendations already studied a package of proposals called The State Program of Reforming the Armed Forces. But today the army and the country already have a program titled The State Program of Armed Forces Building and Development adopted in 1997 and valid until 2005. As recently as the week before last, top representatives of the General Staff agreed that it is worthwhile to make amendments to the existing plan, but not under the slogans of a new reform program, because in order to speak about reform, one should first at least finish something. It became clear at the meeting that Ukraine will further implement its Program of Armed Forces Development, this time without the word building. However, the new wording can lead only a dilettante astray. For everything is determined by concrete actions.
Some details of the already existing plans call in particular for changing the structure of the Armed Forces branches and executive bodies. Divisions will be replaced by brigades. In the next five years, four or five Ground Forces mechanized divisions will be converted into brigades. The Air Force will have its division-level executive structures disbanded and number of combat regiments reduced. Also, the 43rd Missile Army will be disbanded. It is planned, on the aggregate, to cut back about 500 various units and to withdraw a considerable number of armaments and equipment from the army, particularly, 600 airplanes (including 250 warplanes) and 400 helicopters (including 80 gunships).
These measures do not require significant outlays. The military currently has no option. The army’s minimum annual requirement is 3 billion hryvnias in the last year’s prices without allowing for inflation. This year, defense spending will be UAH 2.4 billion. Moreover, the army has been ordered to earn on its own 900 million of this amount. The State Property Fund seems to have become even less lucrative last year. To compare the “military” money with the army’s true appetites, consider the data already made public by generals some time ago. For example, almost 1 billion is required annually for Armed Forces’ military and civilian pay alone. Food and clothing account for another 500 million. In addition, the army should also be training somebody to do something.
(For more see page DAY AFTER DAY)
