Tidying up Ukrainian Defenses The European Way

By the end of 2006, the number of general officers’ ranks and positions within the Armed Forces of Ukraine will amount to slightly more than one-tenth of the overall manpower; the number of colonels will be reduced twofold. Anyway, this is what the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Armed Forces Strength Reductions Plan for 2004-06 envisions. After being adopted by the National Security and Defense Council, and by the Armed Forces Reform Committee, this plan will serve as the guidelines of the national military reform program, Defense Minister Yevhen Marchuk told an extended meeting of the Ministry’s Board.

Worked out to step up the military reform, the plan specifically envisages radical quantity reductions, revising the Armed Forces’ functional structural priorities, as well as adjustment to European standards, reads the Defense Ministry’s press release. Defense Ministry officials say that implementing the reductions plan will allow to bring the strength and structures of the Armed Forces into conformity with the optimal national executive parameters within the shortest possible period. Allowing for NATO standards, the plan defines servicemen category limitations. For example, there will be 190 general officer ranks and positions left toward the end of 2006 — 0.12% of the army strength. The number of colonels will be halved (3.3 against 6.6 thousand), and the junior-senior-officer ratio is expected to conform to the universally accepted 1/1.4 standard. Mr. Marchuk pointed out that “no one will accept the military reform without first comprehensively resolving a great many issues addressing social protection, primarily the housing problem, with regard to every serviceman,” adding that this approach was supported by the President of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Defense Minister believes that the emphasis should be on the military housing program, considering Ukraine’s economic capacities and the cabinet’s obligations in terms of social protection for the military. Mr. Marchuk informed that certain steps had already been taken; two national military housing programs had been amended. He stressed that there were inner reserves to be utilized, saying that the goal could be reached by effectively applying the whole construction complex, all capacities of the existing infrastructure. Housing projects for servicemen should be developed alongside those of service dwelling structure, and that they should have every amenity answering modern standards.

The Ukrainian Defense Minister delivered a report at the ministry’s board meeting, attended by lawmakers and government officials, concerning the main results achieved in implementing the 2002- 03 National Armed Forces Reform and Development Program, outlining the principal tasks assigned military administration bodies to help carry out the said program. Among other things, Yevhen Marchuk noted that the Defense Ministry had focused on the National Armed Forces Reform and Development Program embracing a period till the year 2005, as well as on complying with the requirements put forth by President Leonid Kuchma as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine concerning the military reform, in order to enhance national military efficiency and battle readiness.

Yevhen Marchuk stated that Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense had carried out important tasks in terms of defense analysis, with findings approved by the military reform state committee, but stressed that “a situation has developed within the Armed Forces that must be resolved by taking immediate radical measures.” He said that the required preconditions had been provided; a number of measures had been taken to increase the army service’s prestige. In addition, target-oriented budget spending for defense purpose had been determined in the amount of UAH 6.4 billion, with several expense items referred to the protected category. Mr. Marchuk further mentioned the President’s edict, based on an NSDC resolution, outlining the key objectives aimed at socially protecting the men and officers, as well as their families, especially when faced with personnel reductions.

In conclusion, the Ukrainian Defense Minister informed that the process of the delimitation of duties between the Defense Ministry and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had been practically completed, defining the tasks assigned every structure. Mr. Marchuk pointed out that considerable work was still to be done, but that next year the Ukrainian Army would achieve the social level it actually deserves, given adequate budget financing, and primarily by utilizing the Armed Forces’ strong potential and that of every serviceman.