Ukrainian Parliament is still to pass national security concept
The Russian Parliament passed its new military concept bill at the beginning of February. After some editing the document will be signed by the Russian President this March. What does Moscow see now as a military threat to its security? How did official Kyiv respond?
The new military doctrine was adopted after the new national security concept was made public last month. Simultaneously, Russian state military procurements were increased 1.5 times. The military doctrine repeats the national security concept’s thesis that Moscow might resort to first use of nuclear weapons and not only against another nuclear power (the doctrine reads) but also in response to a “large scale aggression using conventional arms, in a critical situation with regard to the national security of Russia and its allies.” However, the allies that can count on Russia’s nuclear umbrella are not specified. Belarus seems the only safe assumption. As for external threats that may cause Moscow chagrin enough to provoke an attendant response, the list includes territorial claims to Russia, increasing military contingents close to Russian frontiers, conflicts in border areas, and the expansion of military blocs. The latter is, of course, means NATO. Characteristically, Russia has finally admitted that, unlike the Pentagon, the Russian Army cannot participate in two armed conflicts at the same time. Formally, Russia as a nuclear superpower, can handle only one war, like the one in Chechnya.
Kyiv, in contrast, has not as yet adopted a new military doctrine of its own, although it has repeatedly stressed the need to do precisely that. As in Russia not so long ago, Ukraine’s military doctrine requires the army to provide reliable protection on all sides. General Mykola Palchuk, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, had this to say on Ukraine’s approach to defense: “The Ministry of Defense has clearly defined the threats and tasks that must be solved by the Armed Forces when exposed to such threats. When we formulate all this in the new doctrine you will see it. Simultaneously, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, proceeding from threats and possibilities, must be prepared to act in one operational- strategic direction.”
When exactly will Ukraine have this new military doctrine? General Palchuk replied, “We have a draft ready.” Yet the military is prepared to make the document public only after Parliament passes the national security concept bill. “We do not want to place the cart before the horse,” the general said, implying that the concept must clarify things without which a new military doctrine would make no sense.
